How to Protect Your Home from Winter Plumbing Problems

Winter looks calm from the outside, right? Like, everything’s soft and cozy, there’s hot chocolate, fuzzy socks, maybe a Hallmark movie playing in the background. Like is supposed to be good. But even so, there might be a very high chance you’ll get some water problems, well, plumbing problems to be more specific here. Okay, but what? Well, pipes are freezing, drains are clogging, and your water heater’s working overtime like it’s one bad day away from quitting. Seriously, this stuff seems to happen in the winter months way more often than you’d actually think!

Well, yeah, it’s that time of year when the smallest thing turns into a huge mess, and yeah, no one’s really ready for it. Which, of course, is understandable. Now, give this a thought for a moment; it only takes one freezing night for everything to go sideways. No, really, just one drop in temperature and yeah, your pipes freeze, they expand, and next thing you know, there’s water somewhere it definitely shouldn’t be. 

Hopefully, this never happens to you if it hasn’t happened yet, but keep in mind that this is a super common problem in the winter. But yeah, it’s always the kind of thing people assume happens to “other houses” until it happens to theirs.

Frozen Pipes are a Whole Issue

This one is a total nightmare because once they freeze, that’s it. No water, no movement, and a real chance that the pipe will burst as it thaws. And that’s when the fun starts, because now you’re dealing with leaks, ruined walls, and soaked floors. Yeah, the list could go on and on. It’s not just outdoor pipes either. The ones in garages, crawl spaces, and basements are just as at risk, and those are usually the ones people forget about.

Okay, but what can you even do here, though? Well, the best defense is warmth. Ideally, just wrap them up with insulation, plug the gaps that let cold air sneak in, and keep an eye on exposed areas. 

Slow Drains aren’t Harmless

It doesn’t even matter if you have an old house or all the other drains but one are great; it’s still a big red flag here to where you’ll need to call Bluefrog Plumbing for some help. But what exactly is the big deal here, specifically during winter, though? Well, in winter, that slow drain gets worse because grease and gunk in your pipes harden faster in cold weather. 

So if it’s draining slowly now, it’s only going to get worse later. It’s best to get a plumber, but some hot water, vinegar, and baking soda can help too. But you’re honestly better off getting it professionally cleaned before the freezing temperatures kick in. 

Water Heaters Always Pick the Worst Time

Yep, 100% this is definitely true! If something awful can happen at the worst possible timing, you’d better believe that it’s actually going to happen to you. But why is it usually in the winter thought? Well, everyone’s taking extra-long hot showers, and that poor heater is trying to keep up. Yeah, it’s honestly just that simple. So, when was the last time it was serviced, because that alone will prevent this whole nightmare scenario.