Experts recommend proactively performing preventive maintenance to prevent pipes from freezing.
MUSKEGON COUNTY, Me. – A frozen pipe during a winter storm can be costly and require an 911 call from a plumber, as well as likely damage to your home and belongings.
For this reason, experts recommend proactively performing preventive maintenance before cold weather arrives.
Each year, managers at Arlington Woods, Muskegon County, remind residents to prepare their homes for freezing temperatures. Those who follow the recommendations can easily get through a winter storm. Those who ignore the warning often run into problems when temperatures freeze.
“It’s going to happen,” said Rod Morse of Morse Mobile Home Repairs.
On Thursday, as cold and snowy weather headed toward Muskegon County, Morse checked the water boxes in Arlington Woods.
The box covers venerable water pipes that lie above the ground and run under many prefabricated houses.
According to Morse, a suitable water box protects the water pipes from snow and ice and contains layers of insulation. The pipes under the box should also be wrapped with heat tape.
Also, check the baseboards around your prefab home. Cracks or holes can allow wind, which can also freeze pipes.
If a pipe freezes, it can be thawed with an electric heat gun.
“And you will start loosening the broken ice that is coming off,” Morse said.
Water pipes to homes in some older communities are also notorious trouble spots. So far this winter has been mild and the frost is only 10-12 inches deep in the ground. The city of Muskegon Heights has not received any calls about frozen water pipes this winter.
“The frost line doesn’t appear to be as deep as it normally is at this time of year,” said John Allen, director of Muskegon Heights Utilities.
The cold weather forecasts predict that Muskegon County could drive the frost deeper into the ground for the next 5 to 7 days.
In 2018, the city of Muskegon Heights took preventive measures, digging about 100 water pipes deeper to prevent them from causing problems in cold weather. The government grant that financed the project also removed lead compounds from the water pipes.
When it’s really cold and for a long time anyone who fears their pipes may freeze can have water dripping from a faucet.
“As long as the water is moving, it doesn’t tend to freeze,” said Allen.
Plumbers also recommend opening cabinet doors under sinks and in storage areas to allow heat to get into areas around uninsulated pipes.
However, the best choice is always to proactively do your preventative maintenance before the winter weather arrives.
►Make it easy for yourself to keep up to date with more stories like this one. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Do you have a news tip? Email at [email protected], visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Comments are closed.