We blinked and summer is over. It was a busy summer for Top Notch Plumbing — tankless hot water installations, sewer and drain cleanings, so many broken toilets fixed, and a load of leaks mended. Sounds fun, right? Well we certainly love it. And we appreciate being the go-to plumber in Greater Olympia!

Now for the serious business — we’re headed into the cold season. Cold + pipes = potential for problems. We’ve compiled a list of must-dos to help prevent cold weather plumbing issues.

Keep Your Pipes From Freezing

Frozen pipes can do SERIOUS damage. Catastrophic damage, in fact. Get ahead of the game, before it’s too late, and do the following:

• Cover your pipes in areas exposed to cold weather (basements, crawl spaces) with heat tape, insulated pipe sleeves, or insulated blankets.
• Add insulation to crawl spaces, basements, or attics.
• Make sure your thermostat is set to AT LEAST 55 degrees if you’re leaving town.
• Double/triple check your water heater for any leaks.

Prep The Exterior Elements

Prepping exterior elements is so very crucial to ensuring your house is protected.

• Remove (and drain!) hoses connected to exterior faucets.
• Cover outdoor faucets with bibs.
• Keep garage doors closed as much as possible — especially if that’s where your water heater is located.
• Drain swimming pools and water sprinkler systems.

Know what To Do If Your Pipes Freeze

There are telltale signs that your pipes are frozen; only a little trickle of water comes out, there is a bad smell coming from the faucet, and there’s frost on pipes. If you suspect a frozen pipe, call us IMMEDIATELY and do the following:

• Keep all your faucets open. Once the pipe begins to thaw, water will begin to flow.
• Apply heat to the section of the pipe using a heating pad, hair dryer, or portable space heater. (Never use a source of heat in a closed space that runs on propane or gas.)

Burst pipes happen and they can be difficult to deal with. To lessen the damage, make sure every member of the household knows where the main water shut off is and how to turn it off/on.

If your pipes burst or you want a preventative home inspection completed, give us a call at our 24-hour service hotline: 360-446-0803.