Being a homeowner, you can expect to have occasional repairs around the house. In the winter, there are several things that can lead to expensive repairs. When the winter temperatures get frigid here in Central Wisconsin, you may be at risk of having your pipes freeze.
When temperatures dip below freezing, pipes in your home may be at risk of bursting due to the pressure inside of them. As the water molecules freeze in pipes, they also expand. This can create a large amount of pressure between any ice blockage and a faucet, resulting in pipes to burst.
The pipes that you may have to worry most about busting are the ones that are located outside of an insulated area. This could include unheated interior rooms, a crawl space, or an attic.
If your pipes freeze, the first thing to do is turn off your homes water supply. You should also turn off the valve connected to the hot water supply if it is hot water coming from the broken pipe.
If the pipe that burst is still frozen, do not try to thaw out the pipe. Instead, call a plumber for help repairing or replacing the pipe.
Make sure you call your insurance provider once the immediate crisis is addressed. You may need to take an inventory, including picture, of things that might have been damaged as a result of the pipe bursting.