With another cold winter hitting Calgary, everything from our cars to our homes seem to undergo extra stress. The cold weather and all the activity from the holidays puts extra strain on the inner workings of your home, especially the plumbing. Read the following blog to see how to be aware of the demands on the water system of your home and or business.
Frozen
As Calgarians we are professionals when it comes to winter and cold temperatures, but once in a while the weather can get the upper hand on us. At times you’ll hear about burst water mains in communities that wreak havoc on city streets. The sub zero temperatures that we frequently get in winter can cause the water in the plumbing lines to freeze. This frozen water expands and breaks pipes, which causes major damages in homes. When the temperature begins to drop it’s best to cover exposed pipes, reducing the risk of them freezing. If the pipes in your home do freeze, they need to be thawed out slowly with a hot towel or hair dryer. The key is to thaw the pipes slowly, if you use tools like a blowtorch, the extreme heat can cause the plumbing to break.
Clogs
With all the holiday feasting and increased activity in the house, be aware that leftover food from plates might try to make their way down the kitchen drain. Turkey bones or vegetables that the kids aren’t eating can cause major clogs in the drain. With family visiting over the holidays, more people are using the washroom, taking more showers and there is an increase consumption of water. To reduce both the strain on the plumbing in the house and the water consumption, implement water saving measures where you can. For example, with more people spending the night, make an emphasis on shorter showers. After meals, have everyone clear their plates into the garbage and not the sink. If you are planning on having visitors invading your home during the winter, take it as an opportunity to inspect and make sure your water heater is working properly.
Waste-Not-Want-Not
Education is one of the most effective ways to save on water consumption in both homes and businesses. Environmental issues like water waste are not fads; they are important focal points in society. Having your workplace focus on water efficiency and creating a culture at work that is aware of water usage, will yield great results. This can be accomplished in a few simple ways. One of which is including the workplace’s actual water usage statistics in newsletters and comparing the water usage from previous months. Another example is to give recognition to employees that are involved in a water-saving program at work. This recognition gives employees the motivation to continue to emphasize water saving measures throughout the year.
Fixtures
Making changes to actual workplace facilities has immediate results on efficient water usage. Installing water efficient fixtures in restrooms or retrofitting fixtures for toilets and sinks will reduce water waste at any workplace facility. Modern buildings are usually equipped with fixtures that regulate the amount of water used in flushing and hand washing, but older facilities can easily be switched over.
The Bottom Line:
With the start of a new year, it’s a great opportunity to make a resolution that you can actually complete, saving water! In the home, take preventative measures this winter, by covering exposed pipes and being aware of the added stress to your plumbing system. Businesses can take the New Year as a time to implement water saving measures at the work place. As great as we can handle the winter, sometimes the deep freeze does get the best of our plumbing, in that case, the only solution is to call the experts at Lone Star Plumbing and Heating.
If this winter you have plumbing issues from frozen and burst pipes to clogged sinks and toilets, contact Lone Star Plumbing and Heating today on 403-295-3028.
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