Plumbing issues in your Colorado Springs home are never welcome, even less so in the winter months when the weather is unpredictable and cold. The times that put the most stress on your plumbing system are the times when you have guests in the house, large events, or when there is a chance of the pipes freezing during a winter storm.
Unfortunately, this includes most of the holiday season. But there are some practical things you can do to prepare your plumbing for winter and make sure your family stays comfortable throughout the entire season.
Winter can create lots of problems with your home plumbing system. Frozen water in your pipes can destroy your plumbing from the inside out. Did I winterize everything correctly? Are my pipes going to freeze during the next cold snap? What if I need a Colorado Springs emergency plumber? This line of thinking can lead to headaches over the winter months when you should be focusing on quality time with your friends and family. There are a handful of very common issues most plumbers get called in for during the winter that can be diagnosed and prevented easily. Prepare for winter’s temperature drop with a few preventative measures.
Colorado Springs Winter Plumbing Tips
Insulate Pipes
In Colorado Springs, temperatures can drop considerably during the night or during storms which put your pipes at risk of freezing over and creating problems. Start by going around your home and doing a visual inspection of every area that has exposed pipes, which are usually found in the garage, basement, or crawlspace. If those pipes are not insulated, it would be a good idea to either have them professionally insulated or perform the job yourself with some basic supplies from the hardware store. This includes outdoor faucet replacement.
Fix Existing Leaks Immediately
If plumbing leaks are left unchecked, they become big issues down the road. That is why despite the inconvenience or the size of the leak it must be fixed immediately to avoid damage to other parts of your home. Leaking pipes is more common in the winter because ice and condensation form around pipes and then melts as the temperature gets warmer. Then once that water freezes again it expands, creating room for more water to seep in. This cycle may not be harmful at first, but if allowed to continue it could possibly lead to a burst pipe. Perform a visual inspection around the fixtures in your bathrooms and kitchen to see if there are any signs of dampness or if the surface is unusually wet.
Service Your Water Heater
The last thing you want in short supply during the winter months is hot water. That is why it is imperative to have your water heater inspected and drained before the cold winter temperatures reach their peak. While you can perform this work yourself, it’s only something you should do if you feel comfortable working with the plumbing inside your home. We would suggest our Colorado Springs water heater services team do a visual inspection to find any signs of rust or corrosion and then drain the water heater to clear out any kind of sediment that may be present.
Water heaters have to work overtime in the winter simply because the water being pumped into them is much colder, and colder water takes longer to heat. If your home uses a heating system that relies on hot water being pumped throughout the house this can add another dimension of stress to the water heater as well. The only way to really prevent a failure is to reduce the water heater temperature and try to reduce the use of hot water.
Service Kitchen Plumbing
This tip is worth mentioning simply because your home’s kitchen undergoes a tremendous amount of food preparation and use during the winter months and especially in the holiday season when you may have guests staying with you. We would suggest servicing your garbage disposal and making sure you are aware of what food is being put down the drain. Avoid hard or stringy food waste that could get caught in the blades or cause a clog. Also, remember to never pour hot fats or oils down the drain which can congeal and create clogs and issues later on.
Drain Your Evaporative Cooler or Swamp Cooler
Turn off the cooler’s water and power, then drain the water supply line and water out of the cooler.
Insulate and Heat your Pump House
If you have a well, make sure that your pump house piping is well insulated. Also, make sure that your pump house has a properly working heater to keep its temperature above freezing.
Protect Your Hose Bibs
Remove any garden hoses from the bibs, as this can trap water and damage your plumbing when it freezes. Then, drain the collected water from the bibs and insulate them.
Winterize your Sprinkler System
Turn off the water and drain any collected water from your sprinklers. You can do this by turning on each individual valve connected to the sprinkler system.
Locate Your Water Main
This is an important tip. Know where your water main is in case of an emergency, like a burst pipe. You want to know where your water main is so that you can shut off your water quickly and minimize your plumbing’s damage. Make sure you know where your water shutoff valve is and that you have direct and easy access to it.
Monitor Your Kitchen Plumbing System
Drains clogged by excess food and debris are probably the most common issues Colorado Springs plumbers face around the holidays. The reason is most people have family and friends in town from out of state, so they are having huge celebrations and cooking at home quite a bit more. As other family members who help with the cooking and cleaning are less familiar with your plumbing, it can cause some pipes to back up and in extreme cases, totally clog your kitchen plumbing system. To prevent this from happening, set up some basic kitchen guidelines such as no grease or oily substances should be washed down the sink, and avoid excess amounts of food going down the disposal at once. If you adhere to those guidelines and your drain is still clogged, give Jolly Plumbing a call and we will arrive as soon as possible to diagnose the issue.
Colorado Springs Winter Energy Saving Tips
During winter, we have a tendency to crank up the heat and try not to think about what this bill is going to be next month. As it turns out, it’s actually easier to save on utility bills and save energy than you might think. All while maintaining your home's comfortable temperature and lightening the burden on appliances like the water heater and furnace. Take a look at some of the tips we have compiled below and learn about the cost-saving actions you can implement in your Colorado home today.
Inspect Your Plumbing
Start with an inspection of your plumbing to determine if it is reaching its full energy efficiency potential. At Jolly Plumbing we have over 60 years of experience diagnosing and increasing the effectiveness of your home plumbing system, so allow our Colorado Springs plumbing experts near you to come out and give you a detailed estimate on how your system can be improved.
Purchase a Programmable Thermostat
The second investment you can make into the energy efficiency of your home is to purchase a Programmable Thermostat. This handy piece of technology allows you so much more control over the temperature of your home and energy costs. Newer models even give you the option to control the temperature of your home remotely using apps on your smartphone. If you would like to have the thermostat installed for you, our Colorado Springs plumbers are more than happy to come to your home and do an installation as well as system testing.
Lower Your Thermostat When You are Not Home
When you are not in your home, lower the temperature on your thermostat. A good range to shoot for would be 65 - 68 degrees during the day and even lower at night while you are in bed. New thermostats even allow you to program the temperature based on the time of day, so you don’t even have to think about it. If you stay consistent with this pattern every day, you will likely see a decrease in your monthly and yearly utility bills.
Contact an Experienced Colorado Springs Water Heater Repair Company Near You
Jolly Plumbing is your local plumbing and heating company. We promise to offer you upstanding customer service, experienced workers, and a job done right the first time. If you have questions about your water heater, have a leak, or need a replacement, we are here to help. Call Jolly Plumbing today for a water heater inspection.
Colorado Springs Water Heater Services Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐These guys are the best around. Called them for a hot water heater and they came out the next day. Great response time. Professional installation of my new hot water heater and I'm very satisfied. Not the first time I've used them. Both times were good experiences. Will definitely call them the next time I need a plumber also. You should too. Thanks Jolly Plumbing & Heating. - Joe S. on Google