This time of year brings so much joy – precious trick-or-treaters, family together around Thanksgiving dinners, and the delight of the holidays. But with the lovely comes the ugly. The winter weather and freezing temperatures can cause a whole medley of plumbing problems. Neal Harris Service Experts is here with a couple preventative measures to help you lower your chance of experiencing these common winter plumbing problems.
Frozen Pipes
Your pipes becoming frozen is a common plumbing problem for Kansas City. This typically occurs when high water pressure through the main water pipe merges with freezing temperatures. To help keep this plumbing problem from happening to you, leave a faucet somewhat open to make sure the water can continuously flow through. If you do discover a frozen pipe, turn off the main water supply to prevent the pipe from bursting. Try defrosting the frozen area of the pipe with heated water and if that doesn’t solve the problem, give Neal Harris a call and we’ll send one of our professional plumbers out to look at the problem.
Broken Water Line
An opening or break in your water pipe could cause significant damage to your home. Water pipe cracks or breaks are usually a result of a frozen garden hose. If you keep your hose connected to your water spout following a freeze, the ice inside can cause pressure to build up in your home’s water pipes and cause a leak or a break. To avoid this situation, ensure your garden hoses are drained and disconnected before freezing temperatures set in.
Failing Hot Water Systems
If your hot water heater is not operating as well as expected, check the temperature and make sure it is set high enough. If you own a gas water heater, be sure the pilot light is still lit. If everything looks right, call Neal Harris Service Experts so we can send out a professional plumber to figure out what’s going on. To avert this trouble altogether, make sure you are scheduling yearly hot water heater maintenance and it’s ideal if you service it well before cooler temperatures arrive. Call 816-787-0500 to make sure you don’t get left without warm water this winter.