Category : pipes

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes This Winter

frozen pipes

Northeastern winters can be beasts in themselves, but they can also bring dangers like frozen pipes. Every year, thousands of homeowners experience pipe bursts in their homes due to cold temperatures. These situations can cost hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars in damage and the worst part is – they can be prevented. Here, we share some tips for how to prevent frozen pipes this winter:

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8 PVC Pipe Gift Ideas for Father’s Day

Last month, our HVAC repair company shared a few great DIY Mother’s Day gifts using PVC pipe, so we figured some Father’s Day gift ideas were in order, too:

Desk Organizer

If organization isn’t one of your father’s strong suits, why not make him something that can help keep all of his office supplies in place? All you need is a few different sized PVC pipes,  some nails, some cardboard, and some paint, and he’ll have a stylish place to put his pens, pencils, scissors, and more. This tutorial explains how to do it.

Fisherman’s “Friend”

Does dad love to fish? Make his outings a little sweeter by building him a holder for both his fishing rod and a tasty beverage (a beer, perhaps?). With just a few specific pieces of PVC pipe, dad can have an easy-to-assemble caddy to bring with him on his next fishing trip.

Rocket Launcher

Some dads are just kids at heart, so this Father’s Day, surprise him with something fun. With some PVC pipe parts, a 2-liter plastic bottle, and some cardboard paper, your dad can have his very own paper rocket launcher. This video shows you exactly how to put together a little piece of childhood.

Garage Tool Arranger

With just a piece of plywood, some nails, and some angled PVC pipes, you can give dad a great way to organize all of his garage tools along the wall. By creating a system of pipe storage, dad will be able to store his pliers, hammers, wrenches, and more. You can even create the same thing on a larger scale for larger tools like shovels, rakes, and hoes.

Firewood Rack

We found this great tutorial about how to build a custom firewood rack. Even though it’s made from plumbing pipe and not PVC pipe, we still think it’s a pretty awesome Father’s Day gift. Plus, it’s so modern, dad can use it as decorative piece in the family room.

Drawer Organizer

If dad can never find his ties, socks, underwear, or other small articles of clothing, why not create a custom dresser drawer organizer? Choose a specific width of PVC pipe, then cut it into pieces based on the height of the drawer. Once you sand them down to make them smooth, you can choose to keep them white or paint them, then place them right in dad’s drawer for an easy way to organize.

Shoe Storage

A father’s shoes can get pretty dirty – especially if he spends a lot of time in the garden, doing yard work, or building things in the garage. With several pieces of large PVC pipe, you can create a customized shoe storage rack where dad can stores his dirty shoes. Follow this tutorial for how to get started.

Tailgate Golf

What’s a little tailgating without tailgating games? With some PVC pipe, rope, golf balls, and some paint, you can build your very own game of tailgate golf. It’s perfect for backyard barbecues, football games, birthday parties, and more.

*Photo courtesy of homestoriesatoz.com.


What to Know About Frozen Pipes

pipe burst

It’s finally starting to feel like winter, and whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing in your eyes, it does at least mean one thing – cold pipes. If you’re regularly living in your home (a.k.a. turning on your heat and using your water), you don’t need to worry much about your pipes freezing. But if you’re planning to take a vacation during the cold months, your pipes will be more susceptible while you’re gone.

Temperature Variations

Although water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, that doesn’t mean your pipes will do the same. The temperature at which your pipes freeze depends on several factors, including what they’re made from, where in your home they’re located, how old they are, and how much insulation is around them. In general, un-insulated pipes in an attic will freeze around 20 degrees, which means pipes located in more protected areas (and ones with insulation) usually freeze at even lower temperatures.

Worst Case Scenario

If your pipes are left to the harsh cold temperatures, they may eventually “burst” and leave you with quite a mess to clean up. Many believe the reason pipes burst is because the water in them turns to ice and presses so hard against the pipe, it bursts the pipe. However, while bursts are caused by ice, the damage is usually caused in an area without ice. When you don’t use your water, pressure builds inside of your pipes. If you have an ice block, pressure will build up between the ice and your closed faucet, and once it becomes to great, it will cause the pipe to burst.

What to Do

To prevent this, make sure your pipes have the right amount of insulation for your home’s location. If you’re planning on leaving for a short period of time, you can help keep them warm by opening cabinet doors and letting warm air underneath your sink. You can also turn your faucet to a very slow drip in order to alleviate some of the pressure. If you’re leaving for a longer amount of time, the best thing to do is drain your water system to make sure there’s no water left in your pipes.

If your pipes do burst, give our plumbing repair team a call at 1-888-810-2681 and we’ll help mend the situation.


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