Frozen Pipes Are the November Bill Nobody Budgets For

November in Lancaster County, and here is the ten-minute job that can save you a five-thousand-dollar bill: frozen pipes.

Our old stone basements and the pipes running along outside walls are the first to go when the first real cold snap hits. A burst pipe does not just flood the basement. It wrecks floors and drywall, soaks everything stored down there, and turns your whole holiday upside down. And it always seems to happen while you are out of town.

Do this before the cold does it for you.

First, shut off the outdoor spigots from inside and drain them. That water sitting in the line is the first thing to freeze and the first thing to split a pipe.

Second, wrap the pipes in the cold corners of the basement. Foam sleeves cost a few bucks at the hardware store and take minutes to put on. If you have pipes along an outside wall, those are the ones to wrap first.

Third, if you are heading out of town for Thanksgiving, do not turn the heat down to fifty to save a few dollars. Keep it at fifty-five or sixty. Open the cabinet doors under the sinks on the cold walls so warm air can reach those pipes, and let a faucet drip on the coldest nights. A slow drip keeps water moving, and moving water does not freeze as fast.

That is it. Ten minutes now, or a very expensive November.

If you are buying an older Lancaster home, ask about the pipes before you fall in love with the kitchen. Where do they run, have they ever frozen, and is the basement insulated? The answers tell you a lot about what winter is like in that house.

Want my full winter-ready checklist for your home? Call or text me at (717) 406-7337.

Austin Curtiss | Coldwell Banker Realty