This time of year brings so much excitement – cute trick-or-treaters, friends congregated around Thanksgiving meals, and the magic of the holidays. But with the lovely comes the ugly. The cold weather and bitter temperatures can cause a whole medley of plumbing problems. Gordon's Service Experts is here with a few preventative measures to help you minimize your chance of experiencing these common winter plumbing problems.
Frozen Pipes
Frozen pipes are a common plumbing problem for Oklahoma City. This usually happens when high water pressure in the main water pipe encounters freezing temperatures. To help keep this plumbing problem from happening to you, leave a faucet slightly open to make sure the water can constantly flow through. If you do discover a frozen pipe, turn off the main water supply to stop the pipe from rupturing. Try warming the frozen area of the pipe with warm water and if that fails, give Gordon's a call and we’ll send one of our qualified plumbers out to look at the issue.
Broken Water Line
A crack or break in your water pipe could cause serious damage to your home. Water piping leaks or breaks are typically caused by a frozen garden hose. If you keep your hose connected to your water spout following a freeze, the ice inside can force pressure to build up in your home’s water piping and cause a leak or a break. To avert this situation, confirm your garden hoses are drained and disconnected before freezing temperatures set in.
Failing Hot Water Systems
If your hot water heater is not functioning as well as expected, verify that the temperature is set high enough. If you use a gas water heater, be sure the pilot light is still lit. If these aren’t the cause of your hot water issues, call Gordon's Service Experts so we can send out an expert plumber to evaluate what’s going on. To prevent this trouble altogether, be sure you are getting your annual hot water heater maintenance and it’s best if you service it well before cooler temperatures arrive. Call 405-432-2197 to make sure you don’t get left with cold water this winter.