It’s common for homeowners to want to turn their heat down very low when they leave for long periods of time, like a family vacation or work trip. Although turning down your heat can save money initially, you may be spending more than you save in the long run. When you turn you turn your heat down too low, your pipes could freeze in your home. When pipes freeze, they can burst and cause flooding in your home. Please stay safe this cold winter season by taking these tips to avoid frozen pipes from ServiceMaster Complete Restoration by Stiffey’s water damage restoration team.

Hoses are the first thing that could freeze, especially with the cold temperatures we’ve had lately. Store hoses in a warm place during the winter, and definitely don’t leave them connected to outdoor spigots. If your garage is near the water supply lines, keep the garage doors closed as much as possible to avoid water damage.

Run water every now and then through the pipes just to make sure everything is still in sync. Running water also prevents freezing. And again, if you have to leave the house or go on a trip for any reason, leave the heat on. Don’t set the heat to a temperature lower than 55 degrees.

If your pipes freeze or burst, don’t panic. Our water damage removal team will communicate with you through every step of the process. We have a convenient 24/7/365 emergency helpline to give you guidance on what you need when you suspect freezing or bursting pipes in your home. If needed, our water damage removal team will come to you to inspect the damages and assess the best way to move forward. From there, we can perform water mitigation, dehumidification, flood damage restoration and more.

Our biggest piece of advice to you would be to keep your home warm enough at all times so your pipes don’t freeze. Freezing and bursting pipes can ruin a perfectly good trip or vacation. Follow these and other tips on our website for water damage and water removal tips for your Pittsburgh home.