The first deep freeze in Connecticut doesn’t wait for your schedule. A burst pipe can cause thousands of dollars in water damage in minutes. As we head into winter, here is your bottom-line, definitive checklist to protect your home's plumbing.
1. The 10-Minute Task: Winterizing Outside Faucets
Most homeowners forget their hose bibs until it’s too late. When water freezes inside the outdoor tap, the ice expands and splits the pipe right inside your wall.
An undrained outdoor faucet frozen solid.. Source: xphotoz / Getty Images
Do this right now:
- Disconnect the hose: Never leave a hose attached during the winter. It traps water in the fixture.
- Find the indoor shut-off valve: Locate the specific valve for your outside lines (usually in the basement or crawlspace) and turn it off.
- Bleed the line: Go back outside and open the tap to drain any remaining water.
- Cover it up: Install an insulated, frost-proof cover over the exterior faucet.
2. The Holiday Hosting Warning: Protect Your Pipes from Guests
The day after Thanksgiving is historically the busiest day of the year for plumbers. With extra guests in the house, your plumbing system will be pushed to the limit.
To prevent a total backup, keep these
10 Unflushable Items out of your toilets entirely:
- Excessive toilet paper
- "Flushable" wipes (they don't disintegrate)
- Sanitary products
- Diapers
- Hair
- Dental floss
- Paper towels
- Cotton wool/swabs
Pro Tip: If your home still has 10-plus-year-old toilets using 3 to 5 gallons per flush, now is the time to upgrade. Modern, water-saving models use less than 2 gallons per flush and feature vastly improved trapway designs that handle heavy usage without clogging.
3. The Snowbird Strategy: Prepping a Vacant Home
Heading south for the winter? Turning off the main water valve is a great start, but it isn’t enough. Water left sitting in a cold, vacant house will still freeze and crack porcelain fixtures and P-traps.
- Water Heaters: Don't just unplug it. Set your water heater to "Vacation Mode" to save energy while keeping the internal temperature just high enough to prevent freezing.
- The Antifreeze Trick: Pour a splash of non-toxic, RV-grade plumbing antifreeze into your toilet bowls, toilet tanks, and sink drains. This stops the sitting water in the traps from freezing and shattering your fixtures.
- Drain the System: After shutting off the main valve, open the highest and lowest faucets in the house to drain the system completely.
4. What to Do When a Pipe Freezes (Before It Bursts)
If you turn on a faucet on a freezing January morning and only a trickle comes out, act immediately.
- Shut off the main water valve immediately. This prevents a massive flood if the pipe has already cracked.
- Open the affected faucet. As the ice melts, the water needs a place to go.
- Apply gentle heat. Use a hair dryer, heat lamp, or space heater directed at the frozen section.
Never use a blowtorch or open flame.
- Inspect for damage. If the pipe looks bulged or cracked, do not turn the water back on.
Need a professional winterization shutdown before you leave town, or looking to upgrade to modern water-saving fixtures before the holidays? Contact Bill Mennillo and the team at Mennillo Plumbing to protect your Fairfield County home today.
