Much colder air will roll into the Deep South Wednesday night and Thursday which could lead to some headaches at home if proper preparations are not taken.
Streamline Plumbing and Drain said a few simple steps like dripping a faucet or opening cabinet doors can help save thousands of dollars when it gets cold out.
“Somewhat of a steady drip,” said Christian Sumpter, owner of Streamline Plumbing and Drain. “Doesn’t have to be a large stream of water. Just enough to keep the water somewhat moving. Whenever it sits stationary is when it will freeze and expand.”
Sumpter said it doesn’t take long for a pipe to freeze and burst in below freezing temperatures, which can make the winter a busy time for him.
“It can vary, but you can see it anywhere in the 10-20 calls,” Sumpter said. “Or if it’s really bad, it can even be up to 100 calls. More than you could get to.”
Sumpter said making sure water stays flowing through your pipes in the cold is the best way to prevent it from freezing.
“If you have a single handle faucet, I always like to put it right in the middle, so it’ll draw a little bit of water from the hot and cold,” Sumpter said. “So it’ll keep both sides of the system moving. They do say hot side freezes faster than cold.”
While doing prep work inside the home is a good step, Sumpter wants people to know that’s not where the biggest issues will happen.
“Have your pipes insulated if they’re exposed to any outside elements or exterior walls,” Sumpter said. “They’re supposed to be insulated. So if they’re not, you definitely want to look into that.”
“Some of the quickest and easiest things we would recommend here at Ace would be maybe some faucet covers to keep your lines from freezing,” said Ace Hardware Assistant Manager Jake Allen. “Also, we do sell pipe wrapping so for the pipe itself. It’s kind of like pool noodle material. You can just put it up on there.”
Like plumbers, the colder it gets, the busier the hardware store becomes.
“These are the faucet protectors. We’ve got a few different types,” Allen said. “We’ve got your generic type, and then we’ve got your hard plastic covered one. It’s a little bit more expensive, but it’s more protective so those are two good options. Outdoor faucets, any outdoor faucets, you want to keep them covered.”
Mountain Brook resident Harrison Peer said short stints of cold weather don’t worry him quite as much as long periods of freezing weather, but he still stays prepared to avoid costly emergencies like burst pipes.
“If you have the supplies, if you don’t have to run to a hardware store, 15 minutes,” Peer said. “Just knowing where everything is probably the most important thing.”
Trisha Dodson from Mountain Brook said she takes the outdoor precautions for protecting her pipes and goes a step further for one portion of her property.
“We actually have a fountain, and we put a cover over it and keep it running on the hope that it won’t totally freeze like using a dripping faucet,” Dodson said.
Streamline Plumbing and Drain said taking preventative measures is the best way to make sure your home won’t have an emergency as the temperatures get colder.
