Canadian winters are just ruthless! We are one of the coldest places in the world an often sit in a deep freeze for days at a time. Most people don’t understand how hard our winters are and if you have just moved to Canada you may not understand it either. Your home and its plumbing should be prepared to handle winter. There are many things that you can do to prevent any issues from popping up. Here a John the plumber Ottawa, you’re in good hands.

The Visual Inspection

A simple visual inspection in the fall can be a great thing. We do recommend doing them before the snow and frost hits as you can see any water dripping or leaking from places that it shouldn’t. Go down to the basement and take a look around and above you at any exposed piping. Repair any leaks and tighten any shut off valves that you need to and don’t forget to turn off the water to your outdoor hose bibs to prevent frozen pipes.

Insulate, insulate, insulate

If your Ottawa home is poorly insulated and if your pipes are poorly insulated, you’re going to have a problem. Pipes freeze very easily here and ones that run on exterior walls or ones that runs outdoor taps are usually the first ones to get frozen. If you happen to have been away and your house is gotten too cold, disaster can strike. Insurance is there to cover you, but you still have to deal with the problem and it can be really unpleasant and the deductible can be very high. Some pipes will require extra insulation to prevent this.

Your Hot Water Tank

Draining and refilling your water heater is good to do annually, it removes any sediment and build up that may have occurred over time. It is always good to check the mixing valve and not the temperature of the water.

Checking out your sump pump is also extremely important.

Thaws and heavy rainfall in Ottawa can overwhelm a sump pump system that is not running optimally. If your basement starts to flood because your sump pump is working incorrectly, problems can escalate very quickly! Your weeping tile and sump pump should be maintained on a regular basis to ensure everything is flowing nicely.

To discover more on the full range of services offered by our Ottawa-based John the Plumber, please call our offices today at 613-227-7465 or visit our business website at johntheplumber.ca

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