Are your pipes about to bust?

7/16/2019 (Permalink)

A burst pipe can cause some serious water damage to your home or business, but since pipes are usually located in walls or ceilings, it can be difficult to make sure they are always working properly. Here are some tips to help avoid an unexpected water loss.

• Movement: Pipes that have not been secured properly may move around inside the walls and ceilings of your home or business. Turning the water on and off will cause them to shift around and bang against the walls; this movement weakens the joints of the plumbing and makes it easier for the system to start leaking or fall apart entirely. If you hear any clanging or banging inside your walls, get a professional in immediately to make sure that you plumbing is properly hooked up.
• Freezing: Unlike most substances that shrink when they get cold, water actually expands! When water freezes, the molecules align themselves in a way that causes the volume of the ice to take up more space than the liquid water. This means that if the water in your pipes freezes, the ice will push out on the sides of the pipe until it bursts open. To prevent this from happening, open your cabinets to let warm air reach your pipes and turn your faucets on to allows a slow trickle of water to run through the pipes.
• Water Pressure Changes: Making sure that your water pressure is steady is an important part of keeping your pipes whole and functioning. A large increase in pressure will cause the pipes to burst. Pressure can increase if some part of the pipe clogs or if something was not installed properly when the water lines were set up in your home. Locate your pressure gauge, and make sure to keep checking it for dramatic changes. If you spot high pressure, call a plumber to get it taken care of right away.
• Corrosion: Pipes are built to last for a long time, but that doesn’t mean that they are invincible. Sometimes, the galvanized coating that is used to waterproof the pipes can be worn down, and the pipes will begin to rust. Over time, the rust will build up inside the pipes which can cause pressure to build and pipes to burst.