Winters in Arvada can be beautiful, but the cold weather can be difficult for our plumbing systems to deal with. There are things you can do to prevent issues from occurring. Here’s a checklist that you can follow.
Have Your Water Heater Inspected and Flushed
After a day of enjoying the snowy terrain around Arvada, it’s nice to come home and warm up with a hot shower. If you’re having people over for the holidays, you’ll all be using hot water, and this can add up quickly. To make sure your water heater is working effectively, have it checked out by a plumber. At Flatirons Plumbing, we can look things over and flush your system to remove sediment that may be affecting efficiency.
Check for Leaks and Drips
Since much of a home’s piping isn’t exposed, it can be hard to tell if there’s a small leak somewhere. If there is water dripping, mold and mildew can develop, and any surrounding materials could be compromised. Our team can bring our diagnostic tools to your place to identify any areas of concern. If we do notice anything, we’ll be sure to address it right away.
Shut Off Outdoor Water Valves
As you already know, it can get quite cold in the winter here. Be sure to drain and store any outdoor hoses, turn off the water supply to your outdoor spigots, and drain those spigots of any remaining water. This can ensure that water in those components doesn’t freeze and cause damage. You may want to consider covering your outdoor spigots with an insulating material to be extra safe.
Insulate Pipes
It can get pretty cold inside your home, too. Pipes in unheated areas like basements, as well as pipes located along exterior walls, are vulnerable to the cold. You can have your pipes wrapped with insulation to help them trap their heat.
Run Your Faucets During Cold Spells
With today’s accurate weather forecasting, we all know when the temperatures are going to drop. If there’s a night in which the temperature is going to be around zero or even lower, consider running your faucets. If they’re constantly dripping, the water will keep flowing through your pipes. Moving water is much less likely to freeze than standing water is, so this can be a smart solution to employ on the coldest nights of the year.
This checklist should hopefully prevent plumbing issues from surprising you this winter. Of course, if you ever experience issues with burst pipes, leaks, malfunctioning water heaters, or anything else that’s related to your plumbing, we’re available to help. Call Flatirons Plumbing if you need to set up an appointment.
