Oh Snap! The weather isn’t done zinging cold snaps at us here in Myrtle Beach! This is Cool Cat, popping by for a snack (you have tuna, right?) and to give you an important reminder about your plumbing. With the chilly hits still coming, it’s way essential not to let your guard down regarding freezing pipes. It doesn’t take much to freeze up your flow and put you at risk for a pipe burst… and a giant mess. Let’s review the top ways you can prevent your pipes from freezing when the temperature takes a drop.

1. Keep the heat going. Even if there is no one currently living or staying in the home, it’s still important to keep the heat on to prevent freezing pipes. Most experts recommend around 62 degrees as the minimum to be totally safe.

2. Open the doors. Open the cabinet doors to allow warm air to flow around your plumbing parts under sinks. Also open other doors inside the home such as doors to bathrooms and laundry rooms to make sure heat is flowing well into those rooms. It’s all about heat flow here, my friends.

3. Try out heating tape. Heating tape works kind of like an electric blanket to warm up vulnerable pipes on those chilly winter nights. Vulnerable pipes are generally ones that run along outside walls and in cold spaces like your crawlspace, basement or garage.

4. Insulate your pipes. So, check it out, the home improvement stores make these sleeves of insulation with a slit down the center that are made to fit right over your pipes. Easy peasy. You can also add insulation inside walls and ceilings during a reno to make extra sure your pipes are protected.

5. Let the faucet drip. It’s not an old wives’ tale that a slow drip from your faucet can help prevent freezing. Letting your faucet drip keeps water moving through the pipe and helps prevent a freeze up.

Old Man Winter isn’t quite done with the beach yet so stay diligent about those pipes. Avoid a nasty flood and expensive repairs by preventing a pipe freeze up in the first place. If you find yourself frozen up with freezing pipes, don’t panic! Call the cats at Carolina Cool to get someone out to you pronto. They will do their best to help you battle the freeze or handle a burst or leak ASAP. This is Cool Cat, signing off to go find a warm fireplace to nap by. Stay warm out there, friends!