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Written on: November 8, 2021

Plumbing Repair 101: Tips for Winterizing Your Home

Protect your Plumbing Pipes this Winter

winter plumbing tips new yorkWe’ve all heard the horror stories about frozen pipes in the winter in Suffolk County – when water freezes into ice, it expands, putting pressure on the pipe and causing it to leak or even explode. If only your mother’s neighbor’s son-in-law had properly winterized his home, he could have avoided all that troublesome flooding, mold, and expensive remodeling. These upsetting stories are shared by word-of-mouth and meddlesome relatives because the bad outcomes truly are avoidable.

With a few simple, free or low-cost steps, you can prevent a world of headaches when those temperatures dip:

Insulate, insulate, insulate

Turn off the water and empty the valves and taps

If you are going out of town for a while, make sure you shut off the water supply to all outdoor valves and drain all the water from the pipes to prevent freeze-ups.

Plan ahead for extended time away in the winter

If you plan to go on a longer vacation over the holidays or winter break, it’s a good idea to take winterizing your home’s plumbing to the next level. Extensive winterizing can be challenging if you’re not familiar with the process, but the experienced energy experts at Swezey Fuel are always happy to talk you through what’s necessary and what isn’t, given your situation. Some considerations for more thorough winterizing – say, if you’re visiting family overseas for a while – include:

Think long-term, beyond your immediate travel

Older style plumbing is more likely to freeze, and older pipes made from metals like steel or copper are more vulnerable to freezing than the plastic piping more common today. If you are remodeling, consider whether upgrading to more current pipes might be a good choice.

Swezey Fuel has your back –and your pipes – this cold season

Winterizing your New York home’s plumbing can be intimidating, but we’re here to help you decide what’s wisest for your specific situation. Our highly-trained plumbing experts can provide solutions for all your plumbing needs—from water-heater installations and equipment sales to sewer-line repair, sump pumps—even garbage-disposal installations and, of course, frozen pipes.