Beat the Freeze: 5 Fool-Proof Ways to Insulate Your Pipes This Winter

Priority Plumbing & Drains finds a lot of frozen pipes all over Canada. It’s not uncommon — especially later in the winter — for pipes to freeze and burst, posing a major inconvenience and inefficiency issue. Inefficient plumbing also wastes energy and puts unnecessary strain on your appliances and water heating devices.

A few easy tactics work better than anything else when it comes to preventing your pipes from freezing this winter:

Open Up the Cabinet Doors

Plumbing located directly below sinks is extremely susceptible to freezing and breaking because it isn’t well insulated. Opening up the cabinets lets a little heat into the space. If you’re especially worried about the pipes — such as those in your bathrooms — you can even place a small electric heater in front of these spaces to keep out the cold.

Turn Up the Thermostat

You don’t have to crank the heat to benefit from this tactic. When temperatures drop, the best option is to simply raise the ambient air temperature. This ambient air insulates your pipes better than nothing.

Foam Board Is Great for Larger Areas

If you have especially large areas to insulate, you can use a foam barrier to keep out the wind and drastically improve ambient temperatures. Even if the board is only set up temporarily, ensure it is at least 1 1/4 inches to 1 5/8 inches thick and hung sturdily with coarse-threaded drywall screws.

Install a Heating Cable or Small Heating Lamp

It’s easy to prevent pipes from freezing if you have room to install a few heat lamps, shop lamps, or heating cables. Follow the manufacturer’s directions, and don’t go overboard when wrapping cables around pipes. If you’re willing to spend a little more, you can even place a space heater near unprotected pipes in a crawl space, with the goal of keeping the temperature above freezing.

Either Leave a Drip or Turn Off the Main

Sometimes the best decision — especially in Toronto when it gets extraordinarily cold — is to simply turn off the water at the main for the night if you’re convinced your pipes are going to freeze, in order to minimize damage.

These are just a few of the many opportunities for homeowners to learn more about plumbing and make the most of their biggest investment. For more information, more blogs, and help with any plumbing need you might have, contact us and let our experienced Toronto plumbers inform you about everything you need to know!