Most of us look forward to the winter season for a variety of reasons.  Most of the time, winter symbolizes good times with family and friends as the holidays draw near.  We enjoy spending time with loved ones, and maybe even cozying up to a warm, crackling fire.  Yet with the coming of winter is the unpredictable weather and its often-unforgiving effects.  If you’re a home-owner, then you are probably already versed in the common winter plumbing issues.  All you need now is a few tips for how to avoid them.

            Cold weather and freezing temperatures can cause more than its fair share of headaches.  Among the top issues for winter weather are frozen pipes, broken water lines and failing hot water systems.  At Barner Murphy, we can help you prepare for these problems so that you’re better equipped with how to handle them when they occur.  If you are a comfortable DIYer, then you might want to tackle these issues alone; yet if you feel like you need a helping hand, Barner Murphy is here to assist.  We can help you minimize your chances of having to deal with these home-owning inconveniences.

            Frozen pipes are one of the most common winter weather issues.  Usually, frozen pipes are the result of high water pressure circulating through the main water pipe.  When the temperature reaches freezing, the pipes are prone to freezing and as a homeowner, you are faced with decreased water supply.  To help avoid dealing with frozen pipes, it’s often advised that you leave the faucet running at just a trickle.  If the water is allowed the opportunity to flow through, then there is less of a chance of it freezing.  Sometimes, however, you’ll still experience a frozen pipe.  When this happens, turn off the main water supply.  This will prevent the pipes from bursting.  You can also try warming the frozen pipe with warm water.

            Another winter headache is a broken water line.  A break in your water line can cause major home damage.  It is best to try and avoid this issue whenever possible, but in the unfortunate event that it occurs, the best course of action is to simply remain calm and try to find the source of the problem.  Usually, a frozen garden hose is to blame for a broken water line, so it’s advised to make sure that these sources of water are shut off before the temperatures actually freeze.  Make sure that your garden hoses are cleared and drained before the summer season ends.  If the problem seems insurmountable, remember that you can always call on Barner Murphy to help.

            Another common winter plumbing problem is a failing hot water system.  If you have a feeling that your hot water heater is not working to its potential, there are a few reasons that might be responsible for the issue.  One of the first steps for handling this problem is making sure that the temperature in the system is set high enough.  For those homeowners with gas heaters, you’ll have to double-check that the pilot light is still lit.  If you cannot detect any obvious issues, then it might be best to hire an expert from Barner Murphy to take a look and see what’s going on.  Seasonal checks on your hot water system can help avoid this issue altogether.