Goettl Air Conditioning and Plumbing said a burst pipe could cause anywhere from $ 10,000 to $ 100,000 in damage.
SAN ANTONIO – With freezing temperatures in San Antonio and parts of the area where those conditions already exist, many are paying attention to the four Ps: people, pets, pipes and plants.
Broken pipes are one of the more expensive repairs that Goettl Air Conditioning and Plumbing experts can estimate costing an estimated $ 10,000 to $ 100,000 to fix. Henry Rodriguez, Service Manager at Goettl Plumbing, offered simple ways to protect your pipes and your home from costly repairs.
One of the more popular tips is to slowly drain lukewarm water through the faucets to prevent water from sitting in pipes and bursting into your home.
Another tip: Open cabinet doors under wash basins in the kitchen and bathroom. Rodriguez said this allowed room temperature air to get to the inner tubes to keep them from bursting.
Rodriguez also recommended using a newspaper to wrap outside taps where a hose would normally be attached. Rodriguez said that wrapping and taping the outside faucets is a quick make-up insulation for those who may not have time to go to the stores. He also recommended cutting pool noodles and wrapping the pool noodle around outer tubes.
For those who have time to go to the store, pipe insulation is always a good idea, according to Rodriguez, as the north-facing outer pipes are most prone to breakage in cold conditions.
In addition to house pipes, Rodriguez said, people can also protect their sprinkler systems by turning them off from the big freeze. He said that some sprinkler systems are equipped with sensors that shut off as soon as temperatures reach a certain point.
However, some accidents are inevitable. Rodriguez said that’s why it’s important to know where your emergency shutdown is.
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