This Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil, the famous weather forecasting groundhog from Pennsylvania, predicted 6 more weeks of winter! And although you may have experienced a few holiday issues with your plumbing, it’s nothing compared to what our northern neighbors contend with… It has been fairly cold for Florida over the last few weeks, but we have experienced a pretty mild winter comparatively. So, while we may have to toss on a sweater or replace our flip flops with actual shoes and socks, we really should consider ourselves lucky. Battling chilly weather is a small inconvenience compared to the problems Northerners face with subzero temperatures and blankets of snow! These frigid conditions lead to numerous plumbing issues too! While we are known as the “Best under the sun” plumbing company, we have NO problem informing you about such wintry concerns!
While the weather stays relatively consistent for us Floridians, temperatures and routines change for people up north. With the extreme cold, folks are spending more time indoors putting added strain on household systems such as water heaters, pipes, and drains through increased water usage. Combining water and freezing cold conditions can be disastrous for pipes and any other water-using apparatuses. Here are some possible winter plumbing issues affecting our northern friends this time of year especially with the polar vortex temperature extremes:
- Frozen pipes…indoor and outdoor
- Outdoor breaks and leaks
- Clogged drains due to snow
- Failing hot water systems
- Septic tank bursts
While we may not be subjected to the wintry plumbing woes listed above, winter time may present us with a few plumbing issues here in Melbourne, Viera, and Palm Bay, Florida. With extra holiday visitors, you may be faced with clogged drains since you are entertaining more often and more people than usual. Try to be conscious of the amount of grease and food particles finding their way into your kitchen sink while celebrating or hosting large parties. The build-up of these items will eventually lead to a blockage and the dreaded sight of backed up water. You certainly don’t want to be troubleshooting how to unclog a blocked sink while during a birthday party or baking your Easter ham. Of course, if this were to happen, you could contact Sun Plumbing. Another probable cold weather issue is water heater failure. Due to cold water coming into the pipes from the outdoors where the temperature changes, the hot water heater works harder to heat up the water. Trying to facilitate the increased usage of hot water to stay warm while showering or bathing during cold months, the inundated heater may become compromised and fail. This would result in another plumbing crisis!!!
Knowing potential chilly weather plumbing problems can help you act preventively. If you have any specific issues or concerns, contact Sun Plumbing.
