Every year here in Chicago, many house owners face the summertime pipe burst problem. This problem isn’t constrained to freezing weather, and this frosty climate isn’t restricted by the calendar. Plunging temperature can occur anytime in between the beautiful Illinois spring. Furthermore, it can happen in your area, as well.
You likely don’t think about the frozen outdoor faucet during the spring season. But overnight, this can result in broken pipes and will make you wake up in a flooded house. In a situation like this, do you know what to do if the outdoor water nozzle is frozen? Let’s find out!
What Causes Faucets to Freeze?
Faucets freezing in springtime, though less common than in winter, can occur due to a few specific circumstances:
- Late cold spells/unexpected drops in temperature
- Insufficient insulation during the winter
- Early spring use
- Elevated and shaded areas that have cooler temperatures than the surrounding environment
- An improperly winterized outdoor plumbing system
To prevent faucets from freezing in the springtime, it’s important to continue to monitor the weather and temperatures and to insulate or drain outdoor faucets and pipes as needed until the risk of freezing temperatures has fully passed.
Thaw a Frozen Outdoor Faucet in 4 Simple Steps
It wasn’t that long ago in the past when the city was hit with springtime day off frigid temperatures. We never get winter climate in the month of April, but we should be prepared when it occurs.
A frozen outside spigot can cause serious water damage to your house and belongings. At any point if the water nozzle freezes, it creates humongous pressure that can harm nozzle segments and burst pipes. Fortunately, you can protect an open-air spigot from a spring freeze with these four basic advances.
1. Open the Faucet
Open the fixture handle as far as possible. This unseats the inside stem washer from the valve seal so that the water can start to flow once you’ve defrosted the frozen spigot.
2. Wrap With Rags
Wrap old clothes or towels over the handle, shaft, and supply pipe. Now, try to make the wrap as cozy and warm as it could be expected under the circumstances, but leave room around the spigot opening so that the defrosted water can stream out freely.
3. Drench With Hot Water
Cautiously pour the heated water over the wrapped nozzle. Gradually saturate the material, stop and check for any stream outflow from the faucet. It may take several attempts before the nozzle starts to thaw.
4. Confirm the Water Flow
When you have a constant flow of water, let it stream continuously for a few minutes. Then turn the faucet off briefly, and turn it on once again for few more minutes. Water flowing through the nozzle should thaw any frozen areas of the channel behind the spigot.
You can also fix a frozen outside spigot by defrosting it with a hairdryer or wrapping it with a heat tape. Both strategies require an electrical module, so be cautious. On the off chance that you can’t utilize either devices, take the more secure course by utilizing heated water and towels.
How to Prevent a Frozen Outdoor Faucet?
During the cold Chicago winters, we all should deal with the potential risk of protecting pipes from freezing in our homes and businesses. Throughout the spring, our best late-freeze prevention strategies should start with the weather forecast.
When the meteorologist predicts a temperature plunge, guard your open-air spigots with these basic tips.
- Disconnect and move the channel hoses to inside capacity.
- Close shut-off valves for open-air spigots, and then drain each one.
- Wrap nozzles with insulation tubing, or protect them with waterproof spigot covers.
If a Spring Freeze Ruptures Your Faucets and Pipes in Chicago, We Can Help
The degree of water damage caused by a frozen spigot frequently gets property owners off guard. Pipes behind the outside nozzle are a part of the water system that supplies water to the rest of the house. That connection can force burst of frozen channels inside walls and flooding throughout your home.
When you see our trucks around the city, you know we’re set for help to restore someone’s home or business!
Keep an eye on the climate. Follow our prevention tips, and check outside faucets consistently to ensure they’re in fine condition. In the event that a spring freeze finds you inattentive, you can depend on ServiceMaster QRS. We deal with burst pipes in Chicago homes and organizations all year round.
We are just a call away: 773-388-9200
