Over the weekend residents in some parts of the northeastern United States woke up to a frozen surprise in the form of an inch of snow. Snowflakes fell and accumulated in New York’s Adirondacks and Vermont’s Green Mountains. While many people may not feel ready yet for the wintry weather to start in October, the snow actually came a few days later than average – Mount Mansfield typically picks up its first measurable snow by Oct. 9!
Those winter weather fans already prepared with their boots, skis, and sleds may need to hold off a bit on their excitement, however, since after a cooler month of October relatively mild temperatures are expected to return in November and December. The northern tier of the U.S. is forecasted to have the greatest chance of warmer-than-average temperatures. On the other hand, the coldest conditions relative to average are expected to occur in central and eastern Texas and western Louisiana.
Besides for stocking up on all the warm winter essentials like cozy sweaters, hot chocolate and fuzzy slippers, home and business owners in New York and other areas with cold winters need to make sure that their pipes are prepared for the snow, ice and dropping temperatures. In the winter, pipes are especially susceptible to damage because when the conditions are right they can freeze and then unfreeze at a rapid rate, causing the pipes to crack and explode. Burst pipes can be highly problematic and costly for both homes and businesses.
Some ways to avoid the hassles and and damage of burst pipes, according to Drain Doctor Plumbing Specialist, include hiring a professional plumber to insulate the pipes and to complete a camera inspection of the pipes to ensure that all pipes are leak-free and firmly sealed.
Another tip that may help is allowing the faucets to drip in order to minimize the chance that they will freeze. While allowing faucets to drip may seem wasteful and costly, at the end of the winter it may end up saving thousands of dollars in damage by having prevented a burst pipe. Disconnecting and and shutting off all water hose systems and draining sprinklers and swimming pools are also key prevention methods to avoid frozen and ice clogged pipes.
