Hello and welcome to this week’s segment.  We’re here to bring you the latest and greatest in the plumbing world.  As the cold weather closes in, strange things can start to happen in your home.  Unexplained events.  Keep it tuned to this station and we will plunge you out of this darkness.

Now is the time to protect your home to prevent water damage from frozen and burst pipes.  Preventative measures are often much more affordable and less traumatic than diagnostic work–think about it, you know what goes down those pipes.  That matter blowing into your walls/a room is a surefire way to get PTSD: Plumbing Trauma Stress Disorder.

So what can you do?  Follow these bodacious tips and, barring any surprises, you’ll be a-ok this winter season:

1.  Make a map of the areas of your home that are most vulnerable to freezing.  Kay, you don’t have to make a map, but at least be aware.  These rooms include crawlspaces, unheated rooms and outside walls.  Ps. You should make a map, you know it’d be fun.  Plus, insulate those outside walls and close off crawlspaces.

2.  Remember that map you made?  I know you made it.  There was a ton of time in between reading step 1 and 2.  Anyways, bust out that map and toss a big ‘X’ on it where the water shut off valve is.  If a pipe bursts, you’re going to need to head straight there and turn off the water.

3.  Wrap exposed pipes with insulation or electrical heat tracing wire.  As for your outside water meter, make sure the lid is sealed tightly.  As well, if any snow falls on it, keep it there.  Check this out: snow acts as an insulator.  Yeah, your mindhole is blown.  Admit it.

4.  If you don’t trust your pipes, and sometimes they are sneaky jerks, leave a slow trickle of water running overnight.  The cost of this water far outweighs the cost of a burst pipe fix.

5.  Are you a techy?  Check out these badboys: https://www.aartech.ca/freeze-alarm — they call a user-selected phone number when the inside temperature drops below 7 degrees Celsius.  They also work if you’re on a bad date and need a call.  Your pipes can be your best wingmen.

6. Are you a non-techy and you have friends?  If you’re away, just have someone stop by your place to check it out.  Once again, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

If you have any questions or need help making a sweet map of your house, please do not hesitate to call us at 289-244-9843.  At Go Green Plumbing, we are always happy to help.