Winters here in Dayton can be beautiful, but that doesn’t mean that they’re easy to deal with. Freezing temperatures as well as snow and ice storms can pose many problems for residents in our area. One reason why our team at Buckeye Plumbing is busy during the winter is that cold temperatures can cause many issues with plumbing systems.

Outside Your Home

Anything that’s outdoors in Dayton is vulnerable to cold temperatures. When we drop below freezing, any water that’s still remaining in a pipe or spigot could freeze. As you already know, water expands when it freezes, and your outdoor pipes, hoses, and spigots could crack. To prevent this from happening, disconnect your hoses before the winter weather arrives. Turn off the water lines that serve your outdoor spigots, and let all the water drain out from them. Putting a cover on the spigot can also be a good move.

If you’d like to further enhance your outdoor plumbing, the team at Buckeye Plumbing can help you. We can upgrade your spigots to frost-free hose bibs and add insulation to any lines that may be connected to the outdoors. If you do have a cracked spigot, just contact us for help, and we’ll be sure to replace whatever’s damaged.

Inside Your Home

Your indoor pipes could also freeze, considering how cold our Ohio winters can be. Pipes along exterior walls can experience very cold temperatures. When the water in a pipe freezes, the pipe can crack or burst, causing a leak. You might not notice the leak right away because it could be hidden. Light water flow from your sink or shower could be a sign that there’s a leak somewhere. Buckeye Plumbing is ready to help in this situation, and we’ll be efficient as we go about the repair. To prepare for cold weather, we’d recommend that you:

• Leave water dripping from faucets overnight to keep the water moving
• Open cabinets under sinks to allow heat to get into this area
• Have your water supply lines insulated

Other winter plumbing concerns in your home may have to do with the water heater or sump pump. For these units, regular maintenance can make it less likely that you’d experience problems.

Plus, there could be a lot going on in your kitchen during the holiday season, and sometimes the drain can get clogged. The team at Buckeye Plumbing can get to the bottom of the situation and remove anything that may be blocking the flow of water.

Be Prepared

With the winter weather ahead, be sure to keep this information in mind. You can be proactive about protecting your plumbing system, but if anything goes wrong, call us.