10 Tips to Prepare Your Plumbing for winter: Get a Bathroom makeover with Trade Winds Import

Image by fran1 from Pixabay

Winter is at the door, and it is the best time to give a thought to your home sweet home. Where there are so many areas that will be benefitted by your kind attention, your plumbing system should be on the top of your priority list this winter. As time goes by, the risk to your plumbing system is increasing with it. And the inconvenience it can cause is much severe if this area remains unattended. Don’t let your ruptured plumbing system spoil your winter. We are here to help you with 10 useful tips to prepare your plumbing system to get the utmost protection it needed. Also, get an astonishing bathroom makeover with Trade Winds Imports this winter and be all-prepared for a merry Christmas.

10 tips to prepare your plumbing for winter

Get the leaks fixed

When it comes to preparing your home plumbing for winter, the first thing that gets to be done is fixing the existing leaks in your plumbing system, if any. Even a small leak can lead to a massive disaster in winter when the temperature starts decreasing to minus. In winter, water in the pipes usually expands due to the cold temperature, and the leaking areas of your pipes are those weak points where the pipes can be burst by the increased pressure of water. Fixing it during winter is quite inconvenient and an expensive one too. Though you can fix the leaks by yourself, it is advisable to get professional help.

Winterize your outdoor faucets

Outdoor faucets of your home are exposed to the environment all year-round; hence need to be protected during winter. Forgetting to turn off the outdoor faucets can cause serious hindrance during winter if the pipes freeze. To prevent such an incident, you need to drain and disconnect the hoses attached to your outdoor faucets. Make sure these exposed pipes are fully drained of any water hence you need to turn off the water valves for these particular faucets.

Insulate your pipe

Turning off the water valves is not enough to protect the exposed pipes outside—you need to insulate those as well. Insulating can be done by wrapping the pipes with insulating foam sheath, which is available at most hardware stores. Make sure to insulate the full pipe from the point where your home’s main water line emerges to the point it enters the heated space of your home. You might need to insulate the pipes in attics, unheated basements, and outdoor hose bibs too. Though installing insulation is easy, it’s better to get help from a professional.

Find the main water valve

In case of severe incidents like pipe bursting, you might need to shut off the home’s water supply. Hence, it’s crucial to know where the main water valve is located. Usually, the main water valve is located beside the water meter and must be kept in good condition. If you are planning to be away from your home this winter by any chance, make sure to shut the valve off to prevent the risk of pipe bursting while you are away.

Inspect your furnace

Servicing your furnace is an essential part of preparing your plumbing system for winter. If your furnace is not in good condition, your pipes are at risk of freezing and bursting when the temperature decreases. You also may need to consider furnace repair. When you are preparing your plumbing system for winter, make sure your furnace is working perfectly by hiring a professional.

Service the water heater

Your water heater is the most important thing during winter, and make sure it is running in optimal condition. Before winter hits, drain your water heater and get a professional to check the tank’s sacrificial anode rod and make any repairs or replacements if needed.

Don’t let the disposal clog the kitchen drain

The holidays year around inspire you to prepare big feasts, leaving the messes and leftovers affect your plumbing system eventually. Leftovers from the meals, especially fat and oil, must not be poured down in the kitchen drain as they can fixate and clog the pipes.

Prepare outside drainage

Clean out your home gutters before the winter hits to ensure everything is draining properly. It will allow moisture to flow away from your home and will limit the risk of ice dams to be created in winter. You can also install gutter mesh to prevent drains from being clogged.

Install Wi-Fi thermostat when you are away

If you have winter travel plans, make sure to install a Wi-Fi thermostat so that you can control and monitor your home’s temperature using your smartphone. You can set the thermostat high enough to prevent freezing.

You can conserve energy when you are away

You must be thinking of turning the heat down to save money when you are away. Turning the heat to low can cause frozen and ruptured pipes. The damage caused by such an incident can become a more severe problem if the rupture is unnoticed for many days. The service will eventually cost you more than your electricity bill.

Bonus Tip – Get a bathroom makeover

Get a sleek bathroom makeover besides preparing your plumbing for this winter. Trade Winds Imports offers an enormous collection of the finest bathroom furniture and accessories perfect for your unique home needs. Whether you need small bathroom vanities or double bathroom vanities, antique vanities or modern vanities—you will get everything online there.

All the vanities are constructed of high-quality materials—rich natural stone, marble, warm hardwoods like mahogany, oak, pine, cedar, and cherry—embodying an exotic blend of beauty and high functionality. The shop also boasts an impressive selection of vanity mirrors, vessel sinks, and medicine cabinets available in different styles, colors, shapes, sizes, and exclusive materials.

Need a finishing touch? This online store is also offering luxury bathtubs, shower sets, and bathroom lighting to complete your bathroom design.