Now that winter is upon us, it is easy to forget that while we turn up the temperature indoors, not everything around the house is protected against the harsher elements outside the house. When it comes to plumbing, it is particularly important that all your faucets and water pipes are protected against sub-zero temperatures as the cost of a burst pipe can be massive, and not just in financial terms. Unfortunately, we have seen the damage done to personal belongings as a result of a burst pipe in a loft, and it is not something you forget very easily.

Here at A&E Air Conditioning and Heating in Bulverde, TX we would hate the same thing to happen to you, so to ensure all your plumbing is well protected this winter, we’ve prepared a short checklist for you to go through:

• All external faucets will have an internal stop valve. Open the faucet, then turn it off at the internal stop valve, leaving the faucet open to allow any residual water to escape. If there is a long run of pipe, it is also sensible to eave the faucet open so that if any ice forms inside the pipe, it can expand without damaging the pipework.
• Disconnect and drain all outside hoses, then store them in the dry. If you have a pressure washer, make sure that is drained down too.
• Check pipes that are in cupboards that are against external walls. Best to leave the cupboard door slightly ajar to allow warm air to circulate.
• Buy some pipe insulating sleeves. Nowadays we are all so conscious about making sure the rooms we live in are well insulated for the winter that we forget, the less heat that escapes, the colder areas of the home like the attic or basement are going to get. These sleeves are easy to fit as they are molded in tube form, but have a cut down one side to make them easy to wrap round a bare pipe.

Carry out these simple tasks and you should have a burst pipe-free winter!

Of course, if you want to make sure everything is winter-proofed in your home, you can just give us a call, ask us to come out, and we can check over everything, including your furnace, just to make sure you stay warm and dry this winter.