Waking up in the freezing morning can be dreadful, but what is worse is when you go to turn on a warm shower to find no water coming out. Temperatures during the winter months can cause frozen pipes. If you would like to avoid frozen pipes, here are some suggestions.

1. Insulate your pipes. Remember that insulation is meant to retain the heat that is already in the pipe. It won’t be adding heat.

Rubber insulation is less expensive than fiberglass, and is easier to work with. However, it does not work well with heat tape because it doesn’t provide any vapor barrier. Fiberglass insulation can irritate your eyes, skin, and lungs but in the wintertime it proves to be a better insulator.

If you have exposed pipes under your home you can try using insulation “tubing”. It is easy to work with, and provides good insulation for colder climates. Don’t forget to keep pipe insulation tape nearby to use on areas that are harder to fit.

2. If you have a bathroom that is exposed to the winter air more than the rest of your house, try a home remedy to keep the pipe from freezing. Pour a cupful of windshield washer fluid into the sink and shower drains and leave them over night. This provides an anti-freeze effect.

3. Open the cabinet doors under your sink. This will let warm air from the room circulate around the pipes and keep them warmer. Open the doors in the kitchen and bathrooms especially.

4. If you are a “snow bird” who leave their homes for a length of time during the wintertime you could also purchase a freeze alarm, or an alarm that monitors the temperature of your home. These alarms can be programmed to alert you or a neighbor if the temperature drops below where it needs to. They can also be handy for those who are vacationing and don’t want to worry about coming home to busted pipes.

5. After you remove your hoses outside for the winter, be sure to shut off the valve that supplies water to the outside tap. You should also drain all the standing water from the pipe. Keep the outside tap open until the weather gets warmer, and then you can close it and turn back on the water supply valve.

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