Cold weather isn’t only unpleasant. It can be detrimental to the water pipes in your home. As temperatures drop, the water circulating in pipes can freeze and expand, leading to leaks, bursts, and water damage. To help prevent a water damage catastrophe in your home, keep an eye out for these signs of frozen pipes.
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Common Signs of Freezing Pipes On Your Property
1. Limited Water
When you turn on a faucet, does water slowly trickle out? This could indicate your pipes are freezing.
2. Bulging Pipes
Water molecules in your pipes will expand if they freeze. Your pipes are not made to accommodate this expansion, which is why they begin bulging. It won’t be long before they crack, leak, or burst.
3. Gurgling Sounds
Are you hearing gurgling sounds coming from your pipes? This is a sign of frozen pipes that need to be inspected by a professional. The source of the noises may be ice traveling through that is banging against the pipe walls.
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4. Condensation and Cracks
Small surface cracks and a layer of condensation are major red flags indicating your pipes are freezing.
5. Stinky Water
Your sewer line is susceptible to freezing. If your water stinks like sewage, it could be due to a frozen sewer line on your property.
How Quickly Do Pipes Freeze?
If outdoor temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, your pipes and the water in them could freeze within six to eight hours. That may seem like plenty of time to act. However, this can happen during the night when you may not be prepared. We recommend that homeowners take preventative measures to avoid a pipe burst that could lead to costly water damage. One simple yet effective prevention method is allowing faucets to run at a trickle when temperatures approach freezing.
If you encounter a sign of frozen pipes in your house, you can try using a portable heater or hair dryer to provide warmth or a towel soaked in hot water and wrapped around the pipe. However, the best way to prevent frozen pipes in your house is to hire a licensed plumber to wrap insulation around the exterior of your pipes. Pipes that are located in exterior walls should always be insulated to prevent pipe bursts and other issues throughout the winter season.
Do Frozen Pipes Always Burst?
No, frozen pipes will not always burst. However, it is important to be familiar with the signs of frozen pipes to prevent water damage on your property. This issue should be taken seriously regardless of the types of pipes in your house. Copper, steel, PVC, PEX, and other common pipe materials are all vulnerable to freezing temperatures. Your pipes may not always burst, but they can cause other issues.
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Freezing pipes are not the only source of pipe bursts on residential properties. Other factors like corrosion, pipe movement, and clogs can all lead to bursting pipes. Once a pipe bursts, the only thing you can do is clean up the damage and call an expert water damage restoration company to prevent structural damage.
Reliable Burst Pipe Restoration and Cleanup Services in Texas
Has a burst pipe from freezing temperatures or another caused left severe moisture damage in your home? Our team of professionals offers fast and convenient water damage restoration services in San Antonio, TX, and other areas. Give our restoration specialists a call by phone at (877) 589-7504 to receive assistance with freezing pipes on your property. Our technicians offer reputable burst pipe restoration and repair services for homeowners in your area.
No matter what time of day, or day of the week, our specialists provide emergency services to get the situation under control. In addition to providing support for burst pipes, our contractors offer other types of restoration solutions including roof clean cleanup, slab leak detection, flood damage restoration, and storm damage repair. The sooner you call us, the faster we can get started on the cleanup and repair process. Before you know it, we will have your property back to its pre-loss condition so you can safely re-enter.