Let’s face it; no one wants to deal with the hassle of frozen pipes this winter. While they can be a serious hazard in areas that get subfreezing weather, including the Asheville area, you can take precautions to avoid them, including the following:

• Insulate your pipes. Making sure that exposed pipes are wrapped with insulation can go a long way toward avoiding frozen pipes. The more insulation you use, the more protected you are, and keep in mind that exposed pipes are generally much more susceptible to the cold.
• Seal any air leaks. Leaks in your home’s seal that allow cold air to infiltrate can increase the chance of your pipes freezing. Seal leaks with caulking, foam insulation or weather-stripping to lessen the risk of frozen pipes, but also for better energy efficiency and home comfort. The most common places for these leaks are around windows, wiring and pipes.
• Wrap your pipes in heat tape. Use heat tape or any type of thermostatically controlled heat cable to do this. Always use caution when wrapping your pipes, though, and don’t use any cable that hasn’t been approved by an independent testing organization.

Also keep in mind that after the temperature drops, you can open up cabinet doors and leave a trickle of water running through your faucets overnight to further protect against your frozen pipes bursting. However, your best bet is to make sure ahead of time that it doesn’t become an issue. For your home comfort and HVAC needs, contact us at Smoky Mountain Heating & Air.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about Frozen Pipes and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

Smoky Mountain Heating & Air services Asheville, North Carolina and the surrounding areas. Visit our website to see our special offers and get started today!