Winters in the Fraser Valley are usually mild, and that is exactly why they catch people off guard. A run of ordinary rainy days does little damage, but every year we get a few sharp cold snaps where the temperature drops below freezing for a night or two. That is often all it takes to freeze an exposed pipe, split it, and leave you with a flood once things thaw. The good news is that most winter plumbing trouble is preventable with an afternoon of simple work.
Here is how to winterize plumbing in BC the way we would prepare our own homes across Langley, Surrey, Abbotsford and the rest of the valley.
Start with your outdoor taps and hoses
Outdoor faucets, also called hose bibs, are the most common winter casualty because they sit on the outside wall with water sitting right behind them. When that water freezes it expands, and the crack often does not show until spring when you turn the tap on and water pours inside the wall instead.
- Disconnect and drain every garden hose, then store them somewhere dry.
- Shut off the indoor valve that feeds each outdoor tap, if you have one, then open the outside faucet to let the remaining water drain out.
- Fit an inexpensive insulated faucet cover over each exterior tap. They cost only a few dollars each and are cheap insurance.
- If you have a frost-free hose bib, still disconnect the hose. Leaving a hose attached defeats the frost-free design and can let the pipe freeze anyway.
Protect the pipes you cannot see
Pipes running through unheated spaces are the next weak point. Think crawl spaces, garages, attics, and any exterior wall. Older Fraser Valley homes are especially prone here because insulation was often thinner when they were built.
- Wrap exposed pipes in foam pipe insulation sleeves, paying attention to elbows and joints.
- In a crawl space, make sure vents are closed or covered for the season and that any obvious drafts are sealed.
- During a hard freeze, let a faucet on an exterior wall drip slightly overnight. Moving water is far harder to freeze than still water.
- Open cabinet doors under kitchen and bathroom sinks on the coldest nights so household heat can reach the pipes.
Do not forget drainage and gutters
Winter plumbing is not only about supply lines. Blocked drains and gutters cause a surprising amount of cold-weather grief. Leaves and debris that pile up in the fall can freeze into solid plugs.
- Clear leaves from gutters and downspouts so meltwater has somewhere to go instead of backing up and freezing.
- Check that outdoor drains and window wells are clear, since a sudden thaw combined with rain can overwhelm a blocked drain fast.
- Keep an eye on the area around your foundation. Water pooling against the house in freezing weather is a warning sign worth acting on.
Ready your water heater and heating system
Cold weather is when your hot water and heating work hardest, so a quick check before winter pays off. If your water heater is more than about ten years old, or if you notice rumbling, rusty water, or a shrinking hot water supply, have it looked at before it fails on the coldest week of the year. For gas appliances and heating systems, a seasonal inspection helps confirm everything is running safely and efficiently.
What it costs, and when to call a pro
Most winterizing is a do-it-yourself job. Faucet covers and pipe insulation are usually only a few dollars per piece, so protecting a whole house often lands in the range of roughly thirty to eighty dollars in materials. Treat that as a rough estimate, not a quote, since it depends on how many taps and pipes you have.
Compare that to a burst pipe. A single frozen line that lets go inside a wall can mean water damage, drywall repair, and an emergency call, which adds up quickly. If you are unsure whether a pipe is at risk, if you find a leak, or if a pipe has already frozen, it is worth bringing in someone who does this every winter.
If you would rather have a professional handle your winterizing, or you are dealing with a frozen or leaking pipe anywhere in the Langley and Fraser Valley area, call FloWest Plumbing at 778-878-2069. We are local, we know these winters, and we are available around the clock for emergencies.