What A Frozen Pipe Can Truly Cost You

As the winter months approach, so do the freezing temperatures. It is important
for you to prepare your home for the colder weather, especially your plumbing.

If you leave your pipes unprotected, you run the risk of having frozen
pipes. Imagine waking up on a frosty, cold morning and having no hot water
– not exactly an ideal situation for anyone.

Neglecting your plumbing in the winter can lead to a variety of costs –
costs that you can avoid by winterizing your home. If a pipe bursts, the
cost can be much more than you ever expected.

Cleanup costs from water damage can run anywhere from a few thousand to
multi-thousands of dollars, depending on the extent of the damage. If
you have a pipe burst while you are not home, there is a good chance you
will have significant damage, especially if the water is flooding your
home. If you are at home when a pipe bursts, you will still have some
out-of-pocket expense. In both cases, the sooner you stop the flow of
water, the easier road you will have towards recovery.

You can hire a plumber to fix the problem, which can run you several hundred
dollars, depending on the length of time it takes to make repairs. Because
they are professional and they deal with water damage frequently, they
can help you assess the situation and begin putting things in order immediately.

You can also choose to fix the problem on your own. Emergency repair kits
are available at most home improvement and hardware stores. If you make
a quick repair on your own, you run the risk of adding additional pressure
to the rest of your plumbing, and possibly missing the root cause of the
problem. This could lead to even more damaged pipes and more expense.
Imagine having to replace ALL of the plumbing in your home – that
is thousands of dollars worth of expenses.

While its good to know what to do in the event of a broken pipe, the easiest
way to overcome it is to avoid it all together.

If you spend a little money now, before your pipes freeze, you can help
avoid the problems and the price. Insulate exposed pipes and purchase
a heater, if necessary. Heated pipe wraps are also available. Prices for
these wraps depend on the length of pipe you need to cover – the
longer the wrap, the higher the cost. The goal is to keep the pipes warm
enough that they do not freeze the water within.