For every person living in the United States, colder weather is slowly setting in. This means it is now time for you to prepare your house for the freezing temperatures. This is particularly true when it comes to your plumbing.  

If you don’t take the necessary steps to prepare your plumbing, you might end up with a lot of severe plumbing issues later in the season. If that’s the case, hiring professional plumbers Jacksonville FL is your only option. 

Protect Against Severe Temperature Changes 

You might have to take a couple of additional steps to protect your plumbing when temperatures hit below freezing. This is particularly true if you live in an old house with poor insulation. Here are a couple of things you can do: 

  • You can open cabinets with pipes to allow airflow from warmer areas of your house around the pipes. 
  • Set your thermostat a couple of degrees higher than normal. 
  • Leave the water slightly on so water keeps on flowing. A drip is enough for this tip. 
  • Add insulation to pipes anywhere in your house.  

Seal Up Holes and Insulate Pipes in Colder Spots 

Think about adding insulation around the pipes if you’ve got them in an unfinished spot of your basement. This will help prevent the pipes from freezing during severe temperature drop. Cold weather can cause water in your pipes to freeze and expand, even if they are on the interior of your house. This can lead to damages. You can avoid this by adding a quick layer of insulation. Usually, you can purchase them at your nearest home improvement shop. You should take a couple of minutes to seal up cracks or add more insulation if you see any areas where your insulation is lacking in the attic, garage, or basement with pipes inside them. This will help prevent freezing air from getting inside.  

Even If You’re Away, Keep Temperatures Warm 

You’ve got to ensure you keep your thermostat set at a temperature warm enough to prevent pipes from freezing. It does not matter if you go on vacation, or leave during the night or day. In general, this means you’ve got to keep the temperature above 55 degrees. If you set it lower than that, pipes will freeze if areas of your house get colder. Also, you can try shutting off the main water and drain all the water from the pipes if you are trying to go on a vacation for a long period.  

Drain Faucets and Outdoor Plumbing 

It is vital to shut off and drain any water from the pipe right away if you’ve got a pipe or faucet located outside. This includes your sprinkler system. If you leave water in these faucets, hoses, or pipes, they can freeze. This can cause pipes to burst. It can result in flooding problems inside your house during the winter season. 

If you really want to prepare your home for the winter, make sure you hire a professional plumbing company to check your home.