A frozen pipe causes much more trouble than not being able to use a faucet in the morning. Frozen pipes are a leading cause of winter property damage according to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, leading to an average of $5,000 or more in property damage when they burst. If you don’t want to shell out that kind of cash for an office repair, there are steps you can take to prevent pipe freezing at the office.
Add insulation
The pipes most likely to freeze are those under the facility, and those near un-heated parts of the building such as storage sheds and near parking garages. If you neglect to insulate these pipes, they will most likely freeze and suffer from corrosion before they burst. The best way to prevent this is by installing pipe insulation or adding it to problem areas of your facility.
Seal cracks near piping installations.
Any crack in the interior or exterior of your building will cause cold air to leak in and heated air to leak out. This can lead to pipe freezing inside while your office space is closed, as well as higher electricity costs during the winter. Call your MaintenX technician to help seal any cracks in walls, windows, and doors before winter.
Keep temperatures above 60 even when the facility is closed.
It’s tempting to turn off the heat overnight, but this can cause problems with your plumbing that are much more expensive than the electric bill. While we do recommend setting your thermostat to a lower temperature when your business is closed, don’t let the temperature dip below 60 or your internal pipes could easily freeze.
As a last resort, allow water to run through your system
While it may increase your water bill in the winter, allowing a small trickle of water to run through your system at night can help prevent pipe freezing in problem areas. We don’t recommend using this strategy unless your plumber recommends it, however, There are more efficient ways to prevent pipe freezing that don’t waste your money or resources.
These simple remedies can help you avoid the expensive costs of replacing a burst pipe. For more information about winterizing your facility, contact MaintenX today.
