Keeping your pipes from freezing and your home protected amid freezing cold temperatures
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - With these expected cold temperatures coming to our area, it could lead to pipes freezing, but there are some steps you can take to prevent a wet mess and money pit in your home.
The phones weren't ringing off the hooks yet at Terry's Plumbing in the North Hills, but by mid-week, owner Terry Mertz said it will be a different story. He said it takes temps below 5-10 degrees and the wind to start freezing your pipes.
"The wind is what does it. it draws the hot air out of the house in those cool areas to begin with," Mertz said.
Older homes may face some more issues than younger homes. According to Mertz, houses built in the last 20 years or so are better insulated. He said one simple way to keep your pipes flowing is to crank up the heat a little.
"It may be costing you a few bucks but it's going to cost you many bucks if something breaks," Mertz told KDKA.
If you have faucets running on exterior walls, do the old trick of running it as a trickle, along with opening the cabinets. This will let the warm air get in there.
"This is the best thing you can do if we're going to have a cold spell to get some type of heat in there to prevent the pipes from freezing," Mertz demonstrated.
Make sure your outside spigots are off and drained. If you find yourself not too lucky and something does freeze or break, don't panic. If you can, shut off the water if you have a pipe burst. Do your homework and find a reputable plumber. Check reviews and get estimates.
"It's very, very concerning when we get calls that somebody was charged 15 hundred dollars for an hour's worth of work," Mertz said about finding the right people.
According to Mertz, if there is damage, most homeowners insurance will cover the cost of fixing up walls and ceilings, but it may not cover repairing your pipes.
