Kevin McCoy

I got a call this morning from a customer who recently bought her first home in Wheat Ridge. She told me her ‘pipes’ must be frozen because absolutely no water was coming out of her shower, her bathroom sink or her kitchen sink. And it just so happened that we had a “Big Chill” last night in the Denver Metro Area. Temperatures dipped to a frigid minus 2 degrees below zero and minus 13 degrees below zero (with the wind chill factor).

I asked if she knew where the water shut off valve was located inside the house. She didn’t. So, I asked her to call the Wheat Ridge Water Department while I called the home inspector, Carmine Lombardo of A-1 Home Inspections. Carmine said that it probably is not a good idea to turn the water off (much to my surprise).  He said that you need to get some kind of heat on the pipes. He told me that you can wrap your water pipes (the ones that are closest to the outside walls) with “heat” tape. You can buy the “heat tape” at any Home Depot for about $25.00 for 12’ of tape. After wrapping your pipes with the tape…plug the cord into an outlet. The tape will begin heating the pipes, automatically, if the temperature is below freezing.

A plumber I called from our Kentwood “Vendor” list, Joseph Heck, told me that the best long term solution to prevent your pipes from freezing is to have the pipes “insulated” (as the “heat” tape will not always work especially if your home or neighborhood has a power failure during a “deep freeze”).

If your pipes have already frozen and you don’t have either “heat tape” or “insulation” installed…simply turn the heat up in the house, open the cabinets that have pipes inside them and turn the faucets on. You will probably have to wait a couple of hours for the pipes to “thaw”. You’ll first notice the “sweat” starting to form on the pipes as they begin to “heat up”. You can only hope that the pipes in the house (or under the house) have not cracked, broken or “burst” from the expansion.

A majority of the contractor’s I called recommended that you install insulation on or over your crawl space vents.  If you have vents with “louvers” just close these vents during the winter months.

IMPORTANT: “ If you hear that is going to be below zero and you don’t have any ‘insulation’ or ‘heat’ tape…TURN ON YOUR FAUCETS…just a little bit…so you’ll have some water flowing. It’s hard for faucets to freeze if ‘hot water’ is dripping from your kitchen or bathroom faucets.”  THIS IS JUST A TEMPORARY SOLUTION to avoid a major problem.

              It is very important to open the vents or remove the insulation in the crawlspace at the end of “Winter”.
             All crawl spaces need to be vented (to prevent “mold” problems) in the spring, summer and fall months.
              Repeat the “opening the vents or insulating process” before the next “deep freeze” the following year.

                                I certainly hope that this information helps you “BEAT THE FREEZE” in your home.
 
“The most important thing you can do to maintain your home throughout the years is: WATER CONTROL” – Kevin McCoy
 
Check and maintain drains, downspouts (keep them flowing away from the house), gutters, soffits, roofs, water pipes, sewer pipes, window insulation, cracks in the walls and foundation.

Click Here for all your Denver Real Estate needs.