Pipe Thawing Services in Muncie, IN
When winter hits in Muncie, IN, it’s not only your family’s comfort that you should be concerned with when it comes to keeping the inside of your home warm. A warm house is critical to keeping other home systems running properly, including plumbing systems. Sometimes, even a properly heated home isn’t enough to keep pipes from freezing, an event that can quickly lead to significant and costly damage throughout a home.
Summers Plumbing Heating and Cooling have been addressing the plumbing needs of homeowners in Muncie, IN, and the surrounding communities for over 50 years. If you find your pipes freezing, don’t hesitate to give our professional plumbing technicians a call to get your pipes thawed and your water flowing safely once again.
Pipe Thawing Services from Professionals
Every technician at Summers Plumbing Heating and Cooling has been thoroughly trained and carries the licenses and insurance required to perform any work inside a home correctly. With their years of experience, our technicians are sure to recognize any kind of issue that may be causing a homeowner’s plumbing problems and will know how to address it effectively.
Signs of Frozen Pipes
No pipe in a home is ever empty; to maintain the pressure needed for plumbing systems to function properly, water is always present inside every pipe. Without the constant presence of water, homeowners would regularly experience spitting and sputtering as their water worked to overcome air within the pipes.
Unfortunately, this constant flow of water means that there is always something inside a pipe that could freeze suddenly in cold temperatures. Frozen water within a pipe creates a blockage, meaning water will not be able to reach the taps or appliances that the pipe leads to. While this lack of water could be the result of another kind of blockage, cold exterior temperatures make an ice blockage are a more likely prospect.
While a lack of water is certainly inconvenient, the true danger of frozen pipes comes from the nature of ice itself. When water freezes into ice, it expands. This expansion creates pressure, and if that pressure is allowed to become great enough, it can break plumbing pipes.
Breaking lines might manifest as everything from a small drip to a deluge of water. Signs of water where it shouldn’t be, like walls and ceilings, can indicate that a pipe has burst.
Process for Thawing Pipes
While it may be tempting to attempt to thaw a frozen pipe on their own, homeowners should leave this job to a professional. Even using mild heating tools like a heating pad or hairdryer can lead to significant damage to the plumbing, damage that will likely be more expensive to repair than hiring a professional to thaw the pipes would have been
Even if water hasn’t yet begun to leak because it’s still frozen as ice, most pipes can’t withstand freezing without sustaining some kind of damage. The professional plumbing technicians from Summers Plumbing Heating and Cooling have the experience that allows them to determine what damage has already occurred before they begin thawing pipes, leaving them better equipped to handle any water that could begin leaking than most homeowners would be.
Professionals will also be prepared to carry out any necessary repairs to the pipes right away, examining the pipes for any deformations or cracks that could become larger problems over time. They’ll also be able to discuss strategies to prevent freezing in the future.
Frozen Pipe Prevention
Not all pipes are protected by a home’s heat. Some run through areas of the house that are not well-insulated or in areas that are not covered by the home’s heating systems, like attics, crawlspaces, and unfinished basements. Others run along the exterior of the home, leaving them exposed to the elements.
Adequate insulation is a homeowner’s greatest tool against freezing pipes. Plumbing professionals can help ensure that any pipes inside or outside a home are insulated using the appropriate materials.
Making sure a home is heated sufficiently is another important step in guarding against freezing pipes. Though some homeowners choose to turn down the heat when they aren’t present, it’s best to never let the temperature inside a home drop lower than 55º Fahrenheit.
Though leaving a faucet running or dripping is usually something homeowners choose to avoid, doing so can help prevent freezing, as moving water does not freeze as easily as still water.
Local Pipe Thawing Services
If you need pipe thawing services in Muncie, IN, look no further than Summers Plumbing Heating and Cooling professionals. We’ve been serving local homeowners and businesses since 1969 and are ready to help you keep your water flowing safely, no matter the time of year.
