With the holidays having passed and winter settling in, Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Oneida is preparing to field phone calls from people grappling with plumbing issues at their home or business location. We offer affordable, lasting solutions for a wide array of plumbing problems throughout the year, but we receive many urgent calls from homeowners and businesses for help with some common plumbing issues during the winter months.
Common Winter Plumbing Problems
Here are some of the most common winter pluming issues that drive people to call Mr. Rooter Plumbing and what you can do to prevent them:
- Frozen Outdoor Pipes. Because of the below freezing temperatures we often experience during the cold weather months, it’s not uncommon for pipes to freeze. When high water pressure coming from the main combines with temperatures that hover below freezing, the resulting combination can cause your exterior pipes to freeze. In general, the first sign that your pipes are frozen will be restricted water flow.
To prevent your pipes from freezing, you should leave at least one of the taps in your home open slightly, so water constantly moves freely in your pipes. If you’re concerned that an open tap will increase your water bill too much, you should turn off your outside water supply by using your shut-off valves. If you’re having difficulty finding your shut-off valves, contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing to have one of our licensed plumbers locate them and turn off your outside water.
- Frozen Indoor Pipes. A frozen indoor pipe is susceptible to breaking or leaking, which can cause significant damage to your home or business. To prevent your indoor pipes from freezing, make sure all of your garden hoses are disconnected from your exterior taps before a freeze occurs. You should also cover your exterior taps with insulated faucet jackets. If you have water pipes that run along an exterior wall behind a cabinet, open the cabinet at night to allow warmer air to circulate around them.
If you think you may have a frozen pipe, contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing as quickly as possible to remedy the situation and prevent potentially costly damage from occurring.
- Water Heater Failure. If you’re not getting enough hot water or your water simply isn’t as hot as it normally is, your water heater is probably to blame. Check the unit’s temperature gauge to make sure it’s at the right temperature. If you have a gas water heater, make sure the pilot light is lit.
If your pilot light is lit, your water heater is set to the appropriate temperature and you’re still not getting hot water, contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing.
Contact Mr. Rooter Plumbing to enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing a licensed plumber is performing the work your home or business needs. Onondaga County certifies our licensed plumbers for plumbing leak detection or any plumbing related project. Even if you don’t have a plumbing issue now, give us a call today to schedule a complimentary Plumbing Check Up to make sure your home or business is ready for the rigors of winter.