Saturday, May 4, 2024
Winter storms in Texas often bring a multitude of troubles, from power outages and loss of heat to busted pipes. As Texans enter the coldest months of the year, experts in the field offer preventative tips to help minimize busted pipes and water damage to your home or property.
Manager of Gatesville’s Ace Hardware, Jerry Fellers, said pipes begin to crack after the water begins to thaw following a freeze.
“It’s the thaw that gets it, so when the ice melts, all of your pipes are going to be expanded and that’s when your leaks start to occur,” Fellers said.
The first step he recommends is to insulate any exposed pipes with foam insulation, which can be found at home improvement or hardware stores. For water meters outside of the home, he advises covering it with pieces of insulation or a bale of hay to keep it from freezing.
“If you have an outside water pump, a water well, or water cistern, keep a heat lamp inside your water well house to keep pipes from freezing inside there and insulate those pipes as well,” he said.
He also advises covering any outside water faucets and roof turbines to conserve heat. If it gets below freezing for an extended amount of time, remember to leave indoor water faucets dripping.
“Just a slow drip to keep your water from freezing and if you can’t keep it warm enough inside of your house,” Fellers said.
Other ways to help indoor waterlines in your kitchen or bathroom are to open the cabinet doors to help expose heat to the pipes.
After a historic winter storm in February 2021, Cody Smith with Advanced Tech Roofing Systems and Restoration said they provided restoration work to several homes that received water damage. His top recommendations to prevent pipes from freezing include not only dripping water faucets but also insulating the attic.
“The attic is the main thing to insulate since that will keep the warmth in,” Smith said.
In preparation for heating a home during freezing weather, Smith also recommends checking heaters and the batteries of carbon monoxide and smoke alarms to ensure they work properly.
If pipes freeze, the Texas Department of Insurance advises turning water off at the shutoff valve to prevent broken pipes from leaking after they thaw.
“Once it hits 32 degrees and below, that’s when everything starts to freeze up,” Fellers said. “This time of year, January, February, and sometimes into March, is where you get the coldest spells.”
