If you are living an area where the temperature goes below zero degree Celsius inside the home, then beware, there are high chances of pipe freezing and bursting because when water freezes, it expands up to 9% and if there is no sufficient place for expansion, the pipe will naturally burst.

When the ice starts melting inside, the pipe will leak and it can be anywhere in the whole supply system. Though a burst pipe can cause a lot of damage and you need to spend a lot of money on it’s repair but a leaking pipe can be even more destructive and expensive.

If your home is properly insulated and is built as per the current building codes, you can prevent your plumbing system from freezing provided that, the heating system runs properly, the electricity supply stays on, and the furnace fuel supply never runs out.

If yours is an old house, and if you think there is an insulation problem you can get it done during the remodeling. You can get the wall cavities insulated properly now, you can add foam insulation to the inner side of the studs or to the outer walls for extra protection.

You can even add more insulation to the attic if there is space for it. Spending money here will surely prove to be beneficial in the future because insulation will keep your plumbing system from freezing and in addition to that insulation helps in reducing home’s heat loss, therefore less amount of energy would be required to heat the home. This will lower your electricity bills as well.

But major changes are not in everyone’s budget. A common solution is to apply electric heat tape around the vulnerable pipes. Some of these products are thermostatically controlled so they only operate when the temperature is cold enough to pose a freeze hazard.

If a house is known to have a problem with freezing pipes, the simplest solution is to leave the water running when the temperature is cold enough for pipes to freeze.

It is generally advised to let the faucet run with a stream of water about the same diameter as a pencil. The stream needs to be warm water if you have both hot and cold water lines that are vulnerable to freezing. This is waste of energy but sometimes you have to follow this in order to prevent some major damage.

Scott Rodgers is a noted writer who has been providing great guidance on plumbing works all over the country. His incredible knowledge has, in fact, sparked significant rise in revenue for talented plumbers across the nation, from Pomona Plumbers to Boca Raton Plumbers .