Fairfield CT Home Insurance: Don’t Let Your Pipes Freeze 

As winter approaches it might be time for many Fairfield homeowners to start thinking about cold weather preparations. Frigid Connecticut nights can very easily turn into an inconvenient and extremely expensive ordeal for homeowners if the proper precautions aren’t taken to protect their plumbing infrastructure.

Experts estimate that nearly a quarter-million families are displaced from their homes and disrupted each year because of frozen water pipes and the costly repercussions of pipe breaks and leaks. In the United States, frozen pipes cause a huge amount of damage each year and unlike natural disasters and winter storms, this damage is nearly always preventable. By taking a few simple precautions, Fairfield homeowners can protect their homes and families from the unfortunate ramifications of frozen pipes and the devastation that follows.

Water pipes typically freeze for a combination of three basic reasons: rapid or sudden dips in temperature, poor insulation, and poor ambient heating.  Regardless of whether a home’s plumbing is comprised of metal or plastic piping, cracks in the lines can occur rapidly and without much warning. Experts say that even a small 1/8-inch crack in a pipe can spew up to 250 gallons of water a day. Leaky and cracked pipes can cause flooding, serious structural damage, and the opportunity for mold and mildew to prosper within the walls and woodwork of a home.

Exposed pipes are most susceptible to freezing, however internal plumbing has been known to freeze over as well. One of the first precautions recommended by experts is to apply as much insulation around the pipes as possible. Experts strongly recommend heavily insulating pipes in crawlspaces, basements, garages, attics and other spaces which are not typically heated through normal home climate control. Heat tape or thermostatically controlled cables can also be used to wrap exposed pipes. Fairfiled homeowners should also disconnect all garden hoses and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets whenever possible. Closing off the inside valves which supply outdoor hose bibs while keeping the outside valve open will allow any water remaining to expand without causing the pipe to break. It is also recommended that homeowners keep the dwellings internal temperature above 55 degrees, especially if the home will be unoccupied for any length of time.

At Sinclair Risk and Financial Management protecting your family is important to us. That’s why we are proud to offer strategic financial and risk management services to Wallingford, Connecticut families. We offer a variety of personal insurance solutions, including auto, home and life policies, to help keep you and your loved ones safe for a variety of life’s risk exposures.  Give one of our Fairfield CT Home Insurance specialists a call today at (877) 602-2305 to learn more about all our offerings.