Want some drain tips for winter? Follow below!

Insulation of Pipes

This is the first step usually followed by people and drain cleaning services as well to make your home ready for winters. Insulators are made of fiberglass or polyethylene material which covers your drain pipes to protect them from cold weather and freezing of water inside. It is recommended to use a thick layer of insulators over pipe when you are living in a very cold area. Also, you may use an addition heating tape to cover your insulated pipes if you feel the weather is extremely cold and only insulation on pipes might not help as well.

Fix All Cracks Before Winter Hits

Cracks on walls are very common and people even ignore them but the exterior cracks have to be fixed before winter hits in order to stay safe from any disastrous and costly maintenance afterwards. This is considered as the most effective way of keeping the cold air not seep into your home and temperature of pipe does not get affected as well. You may use caulking or spray foam insulation to fill the cracks which is very easy and gives efficient results.

Check the Stop Valve Every Alternate Day

Stop valves generally catch corrosion over time and may become extremely problematic in winters if you have not checked them before. It is recommended to keep on opening and closing the stop valves every alternate day to assure it is working properly and not getting corroded with time.

Dispose Of Leftover Fats and Oils in Dustbin

It a general practice of many people to pour down all leftover fats and oils into the drain while washing dishes which is an absolutely wrong practice especially in winters. It is highly recommended to dispose of such things into the cartons or bin bags to prevent the clogging of your kitchen drain. Also, if you do not do this then these oils are going to set in your pipes quite quickly with increased chances of germs and debris as well. So, it is better to take precautions rather than being sorry after striking cold winter weather.

Clean Off Your Outdoor Pipes Thoroughly Before Winter

When you’re planning for rugs indoors, it is important to take care of your outdoors too. If you have an outdoor garden, your outdoor pipes usually have debris like leaves and twigs inside them. It is not that problematic in summer but it may badly clog the pipes during winter so make sure to clean these outdoor pipes free from such debris thoroughly before winter strikes your area.

Detach all Garden Hoses and Spigots

It is important to detach the hoses and spigots before the temperature goes beyond freezing point and drain away all the water residuals from them. It is because water residuals may freeze inside the hoses which may require maintenance or even replacement afterwards. So, it is better to be cautious earlier and detach all hoses and spigots from faucets, roll up and store until the spring is back again.

Be Easy on Your Drains

When temperature is crossing the freezing points, it is always recommended to pour some hot water in your kitchen and bathroom drains for their good maintenance. It will help in clearing out any extra build-up of grease from your pipes so you can stay free from worries for any clogging of drains.

Assure No Dripping Taps

It is obviously inadvisable to leave any dripping tap without fixing them as it is a high source of water wastage commercially. But in winters, it may freeze and cause your internal pipes to crack if you do not fix these taps and close them tightly. Also, the damage it may cause in pipes is not so small and may become very problematic for you so make sure you are being cautious before winter than being sorry at the end.

Keep an Eye on Your Shower Plugholes

This is yet another way of clogging when you forget about your shower or bathroom plugholes. Areas where winter is very extreme and temperature goes beyond freezing points, people are advised to regularly check their shower plugholes to prevent any possible clogging. Drain contractors Manhattan usually recommend using any commercial drain cleaner for these plugholes to keep them clean and assure smoothly running water.