Cities in cold climates like Salt Lake City are particularly prone to significant plumbing issues at both homes and businesses during the winter months, and it can be disastrous when these issues strike your property.
The plumbing services salt lake city utah experts at Beehive Plumbing have provided this list of the most common wintertime plumbing jobs that they do for their countless clients, so here’s what northern Utah property owners need to be on the lookout for when it comes to plumbing repairs this time of year!
Frozen Exterior Pipes
Exterior water lines and spigots are great for summertime activities and chores, but they can pose significant plumbing dilemmas during the winter. Exterior pipes are especially prone to damages associated with cold weather, and they can even cause water lines to freeze and burst.
This is why it’s so crucial for Salt Lake City homeowners to winterize their hose bibs and outdoor spigots, and it’s also equally important to invest in frost-free spigots. Another good proactive tip is to add insulation around your property’s water lines for added protection against intense freezes.
Frozen Interior Pipes
Interior water lines are also susceptible to freezing during northern Utah’s harsh winter seasons, and this is particularly the case when the interior lines go up against uninsulated and exterior walls.
When water freezes within an interior pipe, it’ll halt all water running into faucets. This issue frequently results in cracks or even line bursts. This is why it’s a good idea to leave sink cabinets open during cold spells, and letting faucets drip overnight is also a smart way to avoid pipe freezes.
Kitchen Sink Drain Blockages
Everyone loves a home-cooked dinner after a cold winter’s day, but it’s important for homeowners to remember that their kitchen sinks are prone to issues during the winter months. This can be due to a variety of issues, but the good news is that kitchen sink drain blockages are often avoidable.
Some proactive steps to avoid this issue include:
- Being careful about what goes down your garbage disposal
- Flushing out the sink with water
- Regularly cleaning out your garbage disposal
Water Heater Repairs
Water heaters often get overworked during the wintertime in Salt Lake City, and a lot of people will neglect lingering issues until their water heater begins to seriously malfunction.
Because people tend to use more hot water during the winter, water heater issues simply are inevitable. These all-important appliances are a pretty vital part of your plumbing system, so it’ll often require an emergency plumbing call to get any water heater repairs completed as soon as possible.
Some tips to prevent water heater repairs at your property this winter include:
- Investing in seasonal water heater maintenance
- Insulating your water lines
- Adding a water heater blanket
Outside Drain Damages
Your property’s outdoor drains are susceptible to damages during the winter season, and this issue is typically exacerbated by the rapid expansion and contraction that comes with extreme temperature fluctuations.
The good news is that there are some steps that you can take to prevent this type of drain damage, including:
- Consistently clean your drains
- Remove snow and ice buildup
- Switch to metal drains
Sump Pump Backups
Winter is notoriously tough on sump pumps, which protect the crawlspaces and basements of homes. When water freezes within a sump pump, it can cause significant backups when the system isn’t able to drain correctly.
Here are some preventative tips to avoid sump pump backups this winter:
- Routinely remove sump pump pit debris
- Test your sump pump on a regular basis
- Keep your sump pump in a heated area
- Reduce your sump pump’s water load
- Protect discharge and intake lines
Frozen Septic Tank
Uninsulated septic tanks can also freeze up during extremely cold temperatures, and this can end up halting your property’s drainage and causing significant backups. What’s great is that preparing a septic tank for wintertime is straightforward, and below are some proactive tips to avoid this mess:
- Examine the soil coverage around your septic tank
- Use straw as a septic system insulator
- Schedule septic pumping on a yearly basis
- Be mindful of your water usage
- Don’t park or drive over septic components
- Aerate your yard
Frozen Well Pumps
A lot of homes in Salt Lake City Utah have a well pump, and freezing cold temperatures can cause many different issues to jet well pumps. Even though well pumps are underground, they’re still susceptible to freezing—which requires a proper thawing in order to get the well system back to normal functionality.
Some preventative tips to avoid frozen well pumps include:
- Insulating the area around the jet well pump
- Insulating supply lines
Reach Out To Beehive Plumbing When Needing Plumbing Services In Salt Lake City Utah!
Homeowners in Salt Lake City Utah are particularly prone to experiencing plumbing issues during the winter months, and this is simply par for the course when it comes to living in northern Utah.
The good news is that some of the best plumbing service providers in the country are located right in Salt Lake City, and one renowned company is Beehive Plumbing. The Beehive team is available to answer questions about wintertime plumbing issues in northern Utah, and their team is just a click away when you go to the link located at the top of this page!
