The winter months can be challenging for your plumbing system if you don’t take the necessary precautions to protect it. Our Northern California winters aren’t as harsh as other parts of the country, but you can be confident that our winter temperature drops are low enough to cause some distress to your system. Even in our socially distant environment, we spend more time indoors, which means more stress on our plumbing systems. The good news is that you can take some proactive steps to avoid an emergency plumbing problem.
Four Common Winter Plumbing Emergency Calls
Four problems seem to happen more during winter than at any other time of year. Your home is more susceptible to frozen pipes, clogged kitchen drains, water heater problems, and exterior drainage damage during the winter months. We will explore each plumbing problem and give you tips on how to avoid these emergencies.
- Frozen Pipes: While frozen pipes are a serious problem, it is also the easiest of the four problems to prevent. You could end up with thousands of dollars of damage to your pipes. Insulating your pipes, leaving your faucets dripping, and keeping your home at a comfortable temperature can prevent your pipes from freezing.
- Kitchen Backups: Your kitchen is most susceptible to backups and clogs during the winter months. The winter months are the prime season for heavier, fattier foods that contain grease. These fats and grease are liquid when hot, but they congeal when cold. Low winter temperatures can cause any fat or grease in your drains to harden and create a blockage. You can avoid this problem by being careful what goes down your kitchen drain. Fats and grease should not be sent down the drain.
- Hot Water Loss: Any of your home appliances will most likely experience problems when they’re put to extremes. Even when the winter isn’t freezing cold, your water heater is fighting colder than usual groundwater temperatures. It has to work hard to warm your water. You can insult your system and schedule an inspection or preventative maintenance to be safe.
- Exterior Drain Damage: Depending on your drainage system, you can experience backups and clogs from leaves and debris if gutters and drains aren’t cleaned regularly. Blocked exterior drains keep water from your roof and foundation, and when they’re blocked, you can experience water leaking into your basement or foundation. The simplest way to fix this problem is to maintain free and cleaned exterior drains. Leaves and debris should be cleared away from the path of your drainage system.
The Convenient Solution For Your Plumbing Woes
At Wallner, we understand that a plumbing emergency is a stressful situation. Our plumber specialists are dedicated professionals who can help you if your plumbing systems don’t make it through the winter season unscathed. You don’t have to handle your plumbing emergency alone! Our plumbing professionals can handle all your emergencies in Redding and surrounding communities. We are available 24/7 year-round to make sure we are here to solve your plumbing emergency before it gets worse. Our team is fast and accurate, and we can respond to your call in an hour or less.
Call the plumbing specialists at Wallner today at (530) 223-5622 or contact us online to schedule an appointment or to speak to one of our experts.
