We have one very simple way to avoid frozen pipes. It’s going to seem silly. It’s probably going to make you think, “well DUH!” But our plumbers are going to offer the suggestion anyway:
Keep an eye on your heating fuel gauges!
That is the EASIEST way to avoid frozen pipes! If you have an auto-delivery contract with your oil company, that’s a great start. But even then, you still need to keep an eye on that gauge. When we get stretches of really cold weather, your heating system may be chugging more fuel than you realize. Also, if you didn't have your annual boiler or furnace service done, inefficiency could be causing you to go through more heating fuel. Once the boiler shuts off, you’re almost guaranteed to have frozen pipes. The water is no longer circulating. It will freeze and possibly burst the pipes.
If you are planning to go on vacation or have a business trip, have someone house sit or check on your oil gauge daily. Even if you have to entice a friend or family member with a few dollars to check on your heating system, it is a worthy investment. Just ask one of our Storrs CT customers. They came home to an awful surprise after a vacation. They had run out of heating oil while they were away. The boiler couldn't run and all of their pipes froze. Because water expands when it freezes, many of the pipes split and had to be replaced. Kitchen and bathroom faucets also were damaged. All the toilets in the home also froze up and caused extensive damage. Our plumbers worked diligently to restore water and heat for our customers.
Frozen pipes that burst in Storrs CT. Our plumbers made the repairs to get heat & water restored.
Of course, we also recommend insulating any exposed pipes and leaving your faucets running at a drip during deep freezes. Keeping your thermostat set at least 64 degrees will also help you avoid frozen pipes. If you have any plumbing on exterior walls of your home, leave the cupboards open so warm air can circulate. If you have frozen pipes, our staff of professional plumbers is available for emergency repairs.
Rapid Service is located in Columbia CT. We have professional plumbers, electricians, and heating technicians on our roster. We offer plumbing, electrical and heating repairs and installations for Eastern CT homeowners. Our Plumbing Installations include: well pumps, well tanks, water heaters, sump pumps, sewage pumps, toilets and water treatment systems. Plumbing Repairs include: clogged drains, frozen pipes, burst pipes, appliance hookups, clogged toilets, leaking pipes and odor or leak detection. Electrical Installations include service changes, panel upgrades, generators, electric heat, surge protection, outside lighting and interior fixtures. Electrical Repairs include faulty outlets, GFIs, and updating wiring and circuits. Heating Installations include oil or gas boilers. Heating Repairs include baseboard, piping, valves and coils. We offer FULL Kitchen Remodeling and Bathroom Remodeling services too! Some of the towns we cover are: Columbia, Willimantic, Andover, Coventry, Bolton, Vernon, Ellington, Willington, Tolland, Mansfield, Willlimantic, Ashford, Chaplin, Windham, Lebanon, Colchester, Hebron, Marlborough, Glastonbury, Manchester, Portland, Middletown, East Hampton, Bozrah, Norwich, Franklin, Sprague, Lisbon, Scotland, Canterbury, Guilford, Madison, Haddam, Chester, Deep River, Essex, Westbrook, Old Saybrook, East Lyme, Waterford, New London, Montville, Groton, Ledyard, Stonington, & North Stonington CT. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!
