The cold of winter is upon us. As the temperatures drop, risks to outdoor plumbing become greater. It is time to start winterizing those outdoor plumbing systems to make sure that they are ready for the hard freezes that are sure to come.  Plumbing professionals see many cases where outside plumbing has become damaged and require costly repairs before they can be used, when the temperatures start to rise.

Houston plumbing companies have people remove hoses from their spigots and other outdoor water sources. Any water that is trapped in the hose will freeze and potentially cause tears in the length of the hose. If the hose is still attached to the water supply, then a blocked hose can increase pressure on the water supply. This additional pressure can damage plumbing and cause problems to the water supply lines. By removing and draining the hoses, you prevent having to buy new hoses every spring and potential costly repairs of the water supply. There are a variety of products that are available to protect spigots and other outdoor plumbing sources.

Sprinkler systems can be damaged by cold and develop leaks that may not be discovered until your first high water bill of the summer. Breaks in sprinkler lines are incredibly difficult to locate. Dallas plumbing companies point out that the cost of hiring professionals to track down these leaks can be avoided by making sure that you take care to winterize your sprinklers. All water must be drained from sprinkler systems. In an ideal installation, the sprinklers will be installed at a slight incline so that water could be drained naturally. Unfortunately, most installations are far from ideal. In order to clear the lines of water, high pressure air can be used to clear the lines. It is not just the pipes, sprinkler heads can also become damaged by freezing water that is trapped.

Boston plumbing companies are called out every spring because of pools that were not properly winterized. Filters, pipes and valves are all vulnerable to freezing temperatures. As water expands they can crack pipes, valves, and even damage the internal components of the filters. Unless water heaters are used year round, all water should be drained from the pipes and filters. If water freezes in buried lines, repairs may involve breaking up part of your pool deck to access the plumbing. This can add to the expense and time the repairs will take.

No matter what your outdoor watering system, properly preparing them for freezing temperatures is important. Plumbing professionals can help home-owners avoid repairs by preparing your plumbing for winter. They can make sure that lines are properly insulated that must have water and can even assist in installing shut off valves to outside water systems. These valves allow home-owners the ability to stop the flow of water to the outside, without disruption of the water supply inside the home. Have your home inspected for other ways to prepare for the cold of winter and avoid the higher cost of repairs.