Your home’s piping is essential. Without your entire piping system functioning, you’re going to find it difficult to do a number of things. During the winter months, the temperatures drop, and this can lead to your pipes freezing. At Michael Runk Plumbing and Heating, we’ve been providing home and business owners with our expert plumbing advice and services for years, and we wanted to take some time today to talk about why it’s important to keep your pipes insulated.
Frozen Pipes Can Be a Nightmare
The pipes in your home constantly have water in them, and when the temperatures dip below freezing, this can lead to the water within them turning to ice. This might not sound like the worst thing in the world, but frozen pipes often lead to burst pipes. A burst pipe can let gallons of water pour out into your home. Should this happen while you’re home, you can shut off your main water valve to stop the flow of water, but if you’re not home, you could find yourself coming home to feet of water throughout your home.
Improve Energy Efficiency
Most people are always looking for ways to improve their energy efficiency, and for good reasons. Not only is it good for the environment, but it’s also good for your bank account. Insulating your pipes will mean that they retain heat energy better, and this, in turn, will help improve your home’s heat retention ability.
Other Ways to Keep Your Pipes Insulated
In addition to insulating your pipes, should a particularly extreme cold front pass through, there are a few other things you can do to help prevent your pipes from freezing. Dripping your faucets will cause water to be constantly running through your pipes. This is important because standing water is much more likely to freeze. Opening up your cabinet doors will also allow heat to circulate around where your pipes are, something you definitely want to do for pipes located near exterior walls.
What is Pipe Insulation?
Traditionally, pipe insulation is made from fiberglass and minerals, though it can also be made out of a wicking material that wraps around the pipes and works to absorb moisture. For pipes that are being installed underground, usually a polyurethane foam insulation is used. All of these insulation materials have their uses. To know which kind is right for your home, you should consult with an experienced plumbing expert in Maryland.
Work With a Professional Plumbing Company
Are you interested in learning more about how you can keep the pipes in your home or business insulated this winter? You don’t want to have to deal with the massive headache of cleaning up after a burst pipe. Instead, have your pipes insulated by an experienced Maryland plumber. At Michael Runk Plumbing and Heating, we’ve been providing our services for years. Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help you and your home or business’ piping.