In the winter, whether you need to leave the area to visit relatives or plan to sleep in your bed every night, burst pipes are probably of some concern. Burst pipes can cause messy, wet problems in your living space and can be an unexpected, unwelcome cost. To prevent such problems, you'll need to follow at least one or more of these suggestions:

Have an Assessment

If you know that your home's pipes are rather old, there could be some chance that corrosion or other damage has already taken place, putting your pipes in a weak position before anything has happened. One cold snap and the pipes might not make it. You might want to call up your plumber to examine your entire plumbing system. This can be a costly but efficient way to identify trouble spots and get repairs as needed.

Leave Water Trickling

When the temperature sinks, the metal in your pipes is likely to contract somewhat, which could be problematic if the water in those pipes is frozen. Water expands as it turns to ice; when that happens inside your pipes, there is less room for air. Increased air pressure is what finally makes pipes burst.

To keep water from freezing and to keep internal pipe pressure low, it's smart to leave each and every faucet open just a bit when you know that the temperature will be especially cold. Trickling water is a signal that pipes haven't completely frozen over, and pipes will be less likely to break open.

Wrap Exterior Pipes

You probably keep heat flowing all throughout the days of winter inside your bedroom, kitchen, and other indoor spaces. However, some of your piping is externally located and vulnerable to cold air that might eventually lead to conditions in which pipes can burst. Warming outdoor pipes seems like a huge task until you realize there are a number of easy ways to accomplish that.

You can purchase insulation sleeves in long pieces, and you can cut them down to suit your specific pipes. You can also get pre-cut versions. Heating tape works too; once you've wrapped it all around the pipes, you can help the pipes stay warm by activating the tape.

Understanding that these preventative measures can be taken, you can now prepare pipes for frigid weather without worry. Consult companies like Redeeming Restoration for even more suggestions for preventing the type of damage that burst pipes can cause.