How to Avoid Having Freezing Pipes?

Cold winters with constant freezing temperatures bring a lot of issues for people. Besides the fact that it's challenging to keep yourself warm, it's also difficult to keep specific parts of your apartment warm as well. 

By this, we specifically mean the pipes. A common issue in homes during freezing winters are freezing pipes. Some are not even aware, but the pipes in your apartment can't easily freeze if the temperature on the outside is constantly below zero. This, on its own, might not be as big of an issue were it not for the fact that frozen pipes can easily burst. If you didn't know, bursting pipes are one of the most common property damage causes during winters. 

With that in mind, we wanted to discuss what you can do to prevent your pipes from freezing. Let’s have a look:

Everything You Can Do to Prevent Freezing Pipes

Every time the temperature outside falls below zero, you need to start implementing specific measures to protect your pipes from freezing. 

• Keep the heat up! It's vital to have your heating system on as the inside temperature needs to be sufficiently up to protect the plumbing in the walls from being affected by the cold temperature from the outside.
• Don’t try to save money on your bills by turning the thermostat down during the night. That difference in temperature can be the cause of frozen pipes, so it’s vital to keep the temperature constant 24/7.
• If you are going away for a while (on vacation, for example), keep the heating on. You don't need to keep the home warm; just put the thermostat to 13 degrees, at least. That's enough to keep the pipes from freezing. 
• Allow warm air to circulate the plumbing by opening kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors. If significant parts of your plumbing are within an exterior wall, then this is a must-do thing to prevent them from freezing.
• Let the faucet drip from time to time. It might sound like a weird suggestion, but it's actually the pressure that causes the pipes to burst, not the temperature. By keeping your faucets open a bit, you are effectively preventing pressure from building up in the pipes.
• Seal all holes and cracks around the areas where pipes go through the walls into the interior of the apartment. If you leave these areas open, you allow cold air to circulate freely within the walls. If you can, you should do this on the exterior side of the wall as well.
• Apply heating tape to pipes at a high risk of freezing. Naturally, you should do this only if you can access these pipes. 
• If you’re looking for protection in the long-run, then you should invest in insulation, especially in houses. 

Key Takeaways

As you can see, there’s a lot that you can do to protect your pipes from freezing. The most important thing you need to do is keep the heating on, and the suggestions here should prove to be an adequate bonus.