Don’t Let Winter Catch You Off Guard: Protecting Your El Dorado Hills Home from Costly Pipe Damage

While El Dorado Hills may not experience the harsh winters of northern states, the temperature typically varies from 39°F to 94°F and is rarely below 32°F, but even these milder conditions can spell disaster for unprepared homeowners. On average, a quarter-million families have their homes severely damaged each winter because of frozen pipes that have burst or cracked, soaking carpets, ruining furniture, and damaging walls. The good news? You can prevent your pipes from freezing or bursting by taking the following steps.

Why El Dorado Hills Homeowners Need Winter Pipe Protection

Texas’s winters tend to be just as mild as California’s, so it’s not an exaggeration to say that what happened there could easily happen here. If temperatures plummet overnight, just a few hours of below-freezing temperatures can cause the stagnant water in your pipes to freeze. As the water expands and becomes ice, it puts pressure on the pipe and can eventually cause it to burst—all while you’re still asleep in your warm bed.

In El Dorado Hills, the summers are hot, arid, and mostly clear and the winters are cold, wet, and partly cloudy. This combination of cold temperatures and moisture creates the perfect conditions for pipe problems, especially in homes with aging fixtures and systems that need expert care, not quick fixes.

Essential Winter Pipe Protection Strategies

Insulate Vulnerable Areas

Insulate pipes in your home’s crawl spaces, attic, and garage. These exposed pipes are most susceptible to freezing. The more insulation you use, the better protected your pipes are. Insulate pipes located in the attic and crawl space using pipe insulation, even if the climate where you live does not often have hard freeze conditions.

Focus on these high-risk areas:

• Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.
• Pipes in unheated spaces, including garages and basements, are most vulnerable to freezing. But pipes on exterior walls or under kitchen or bathroom cabinets are also at risk, especially when it is cold and windy.

Use Heat Tape and Seal Air Leaks

Wrap pipes with heat tape or thermostatically controlled heat cables. Be sure to follow all manufacturers’ installation and operation instructions. Additionally, seal leaks that allow cold air inside, near where pipes are located (i.e. around electrical wiring, dryer vents, other pipes), with caulk or insulation.

Maintain Indoor Heat Circulation

Open cabinet doors to allow heat to reach uninsulated pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls. Even at night and when you’re not home, keep a steady temperature of at least 50 degrees. This ensures that your house stays warm enough to prevent pipes from freezing.

Outdoor Preparation Steps

Don’t forget about your exterior plumbing:

• Remove, drain, and store hoses used outdoors.
• Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs. Open the outside hose bibs to allow water to drain. Keep the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break.
• Drain water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines following manufacturer or installer directions. Do not put antifreeze in these lines unless directed. Antifreeze is environmentally harmful, and is dangerous to humans, pets, wildlife, and landscaping.

Emergency Prevention During Cold Snaps

When temperatures drop unexpectedly, take immediate action:

• When the weather is very cold (below freezing for several hours) outside, you have the option to let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes – even at a trickle – helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Just a small trickle of water flowing from a faucet can prevent freezing. Experts say to pick the faucet farthest from your water meter.

What to Do If Pipes Freeze

If you discover frozen pipes, act quickly but safely:

1. Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
2. Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water.
3. Never thaw a pipe with a torch or other open flame.

When to Call a Professional

If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you cannot thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber. For El Dorado Hills residents, having a trusted local professional is essential. When you need an experienced plumber el dorado hills homeowners can rely on, Murray Plumbing offers the expertise and rapid response you need.

Murray Plumbing strives for complete customer satisfaction with plumbing services that include water leaks, fixture replacement, drain clogs, water heater replacements, sewer repair, sewer replacements throughout El Dorado Hills, Placerville, and Cameron Park. At Murray Plumbing, we provide professional plumbing services in El Dorado Hills. From repairs to installations, we handle all plumbing needs with quality, care, and efficiency.

Murray Plumbing has been serving El Dorado Hills homeowners who demand quality work and honest service. We know this community—from the newer developments near Town Center to the established neighborhoods with mature landscaping that requires careful attention during repairs. Our technicians understand the unique challenges of El Dorado Hills homes.

The Value of Prevention

Even if frozen pipes aren’t a regular issue here in California, it’s still worth taking steps to protect our pipes from freezing, simply because it’s incredibly easy and inexpensive to do. So, though you might think the odds of your pipes freezing are low, insulating those pipes could save you thousands of dollars worth of water damage this winter.

As a family-owned business with over 24 years of experience, Murray Plumbing can keep plumbing prices down as a small, locally-owned business with low overhead. Family-owned, we offer free plumbing estimates! Our goal is to minimize water damage and get your home back to normal as quickly as possible.

Don’t wait for winter’s first freeze to catch you unprepared. Take action now to protect your pipes, and remember that professional help is just a phone call away when you need it most. Your El Dorado Hills home deserves the protection that proper preparation and expert service can provide.