Even if you’re lucky enough to have a cozy sunroom where you can stay warm this winter, you still have to prepare your home for the cold weather, so that you can keep your heating and repair bills to a minimum.
One of the most important things that you can do is to prevent pipes from freezing. Although we hear numerous warnings about this every year, it is, surprisingly, one of the most consistently ignored pieces of advice. Consequently, thousands of people deal with frozen and burst pipes every winter.
So, if your pipes are unprotected, and, during a deep freeze, you turn on a faucet and get just a trickle, or nothing at all, they are probably frozen – and the first thing that you have to do is to find out where they’re frozen. Start by looking at the pipes that go along the exterior walls of your home, especially where the main line comes in through the foundation. Pipes that run through attics, basements, crawl spaces, and other unheated, or under-heated, areas are also places where pipes often freeze. Once you locate the jam, you will have to thaw it. Keep the faucet open so that, as the ice begins to melt, water will be able to flow through the frozen area.
There are many ways in which you can apply heat to the frozen section of pipe, beginning with the most popular – an electric hair dryer. You can also use a portable space heater to warm up the area, as long as there is plenty of room to keep it clear of any flammable materials. Another option is to wrap an electric heating pad, or hot towels, around the pipe.
Never use any kind of open flame, such as a blow torch, or a kerosene or propane heater. Not only are these fire hazards, but they also have the potential to overwhelm you with carbon monoxide fumes. On top of everything, the intense heat can actually cause the water to boil, and the pipes to explode.
The safest thing to do is to use the slow, steady, and sure methods to thaw your pipes; just keep the heat on until the water returns to full pressure. If you can’t find the ice jam, can’t get to it, or can’t thaw it, you’ll have to call a professional plumber. Naturally, the best idea is to insulate the pipes in the first place, so that they won’t freeze in the second place.
Another great idea is to insulate yourself in a sunroom for the winter. At GazeboCreations.com, you can design your own beautiful sunroom in just a few steps, choosing from dozens of options, including insulation, partitions, ceiling fans, cupolas, skylights, decorative sliding glass doors, and several colors of vinyl siding, shingles, and trim. As practical as it is beautiful, your GazeboCreations.com sunroom can also be used as a spare room, an entertainment room, a home office, a guesthouse, or, with a hot tub installed, a backyard spa.
To see the entire gallery of sunrooms, backyard structures, and patio furniture, go to GazeboCreations.com. To contact one of their design consultants or customer service professionals, call 1-888-293-2339, or e-mail cs@gazebocreations.com.