When temperatures drop and winter weather is in full force, counties across New Jersey will face episodes of extreme wind and cold, with wind chill dropping below zero. These conditions can cause problems with pipes if residents are not properly prepared. Learn why it’s important to winterize house plumbing now and how the Air Tech experts can help.
How Do I Know if My Pipes are Frozen? And What Should I Do if They Are?
To find out if your pipes are frozen, open a faucet in the bathroom or kitchen. If only a little bit trickles out, this is a common sign that your pipes have frozen. What should you do?
- Keep the faucet open to help melt the frozen area in the pipe.
- If you are able to locate the frozen area, apply heat to the section of pipe with an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe or a hair dryer.
- Continue doing this until full water pressure is restored.
- Check other faucets in your house. If one pipe is frozen others may be frozen, too.
- If you are not able to thaw the pipe, call a trusted plumber as soon as possible for emergency repair.
Prepare for Extreme Winter Weather: Winterize House Plumbing
Recent winters have presented record-breaking low temperatures across New Jersey, resulting in many LBI homeowners experiencing frozen pipes for the first time.
The extreme cold is not just an inconvenience. Temperatures falling below 20 degrees Fahrenheit can threaten plumbing inside New Jersey homes. When water freezes, it expands. If it expands enough, the pipe can break. This increased pressure ultimately leads to pipe failure. In addition to the obvious damage to your pipes if they burst, it can also cause major water damage to the house. This is especially bad if your property is an unoccupied beach home, where the rupture may not be discovered quickly.
According to the Red Cross, pipes that are directly exposed to the cold, such as outdoor hose bibs, water sprinkler and pool supply lines are the ones most likely to freeze and burst. Other vulnerable pipes include those in unheated areas of the home, such as basements, crawl spaces and garages, and pipes against exterior walls with little or no insulation.
Want to keep your pipes from freezing this winter?
Here’s what you need to know>>
Winterize House Plumbing on LBI
If you live or own a vacation home anywhere on Long Beach Island, we’ve got you covered. Air Tech is the most trusted, reliable plumber on LBI. We offer services to winterize house plumbing and provide emergency plumbing services to all LBI locations, including:
- Barnegat Light
- Beach Haven
- Surf City
- Harvey Cedars
- Ship Bottom
- Long Beach Township (North Beach, Loveladies, Brant Beach, Spray Beach, High Bar Harbor, Holgate)
Ready to Winterize Your Vacation House Plumbing?
Contact Air Tech, your local plumbing company, at 609-494-1400 for house plumbing and winterization services!
