Preparing your plumbing for the winter is a necessary step every homeowner should take. There are some common plumbing problems you can avoid by getting your plumbing ready for the winter months. Of course, you should work closely with a plumber to manage winter plumbing preparations. It will make life easier. Here are some things you can do to prepare your plumbing for the winter months.

Check Exposed Pipes

Part of preparing your plumbing for winter includes checking out your exposed pipes. The reason for this is that you may need to insulate them. During the winter, if your pipes are not insulated, the water may freeze. When the water freezes inside the pipes, it messes up the entire plumbing system. The water is not able to travel effectively and it may even lead to leaks. If your pipes are insulated, then you can rest assured that they will not freeze during the winter.

Check Outdoor Areas

The outside is an often overlooked part of winter plumbing preparations. If you have a garden, then you may use a hose and have an outdoor faucet. It's important that you store any hoses that you have so that they do not freeze over the winter. You may also want to make sure there isn't any water left inside the hose or faucet. This leftover water could freeze and cause problems after winter.

Check For Leaks Indoors

While you are making your checklist to prepare your plumbing for the winter, be sure to include checking the plumbing inside your home. The average family of four uses 400 gallons of water on average every day, according to ComfyLiving. However, if you have a leaky faucet in your home, then you can add up to an additional 90 gallons per month to that figure. Check for leaky faucets, pipes, and drain problems as part of your plumbing check for winter. Get under the crawl space or head to the basement to check for leaky pipes coming into the house and the ones that go out of the house.

It is important that you inspect your plumbing. Getting your plumbing ready for winter is an easy way to ensure that your plumbing stays in tip-top shape year-round. For more information or to get started, call Grant Plumbing & Electric today.