What You Need to Know About Frozen Water Pipes

Since you were in school age, you know the scientific formula: frozen water swells. Imagine what happens when a water pipe in your house gets cold. The water in the pipe freezes and the water pressure increases as the water expands. More water pressure eventually leads to pipe rupture, which of course causes the type of water damage you don't want to think about.

In the following, you will find six truths about house damage associated with rupture of water pipes.

From the homeowner's insurance claim file:

• A major cause of winter property damage is frozen, ruptured pipes.
• 37% of frozen water pipe damage occurs from the lower level of the basement or house.
• Physical damage from ruptured water pipes is known to be very expensive and often exceeds $ 5,000.
• The freezing point of water is 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Generally, standard home insurance does not protect against damage from ruptured pipes.

Please note that for homeowners, landlords and tenants, the water pipes are in an unheated location. In places full of anger in winter, such as attics, crawl spaces, and outer walls, the risk of pipe bursting is high. A plumber may be able to relocate plumbing to a warmer zone of the house, but the job may not always be a viable job.

So there are other ideas proposed by insurance professionals on how to minimize the associated risks.

6 ways to keep water pipes from bursting in cold weather

1. Place insulation around the pipe to prevent the pipe from freezing.

2. Insert the outer hole and the hole at the base of the structure by caulking.

3. Open the kitchen and bathroom cabinets so that the house heat can circulate completely.

4. When the weather gets very cold, let the water flow slowly from the sink faucet.

5. When going on vacation, do not reduce the heat of the house so low that it causes the pipe to freeze.

6. Consider emptying the water supply system before going on vacation. To do this, turn off the main valve and turn on the faucet. Turn off when water stops flowing.

To find out if your home adequately covers your individual liability risks, have an experienced independent agency review your policies. By educating yourself about automotive, business, home, and life insurance needs, you become your own insurance advocate.