Does Winter Have an Impact on Plumbing Issues?

There’s no wrong time of year to visit our corner of North Carolina. The summer, spring and fall are all seasons to behold. That said, winter in Raleigh arrives with a kind of tranquil beauty unparalleled in the rest of the United States. Of course, that tranquility is quickly ruined when a home-cooked meal or a daily shower quickly turns into a puddle of water you can’t get rid of. There’s little worse than a clogged drain.

If you’ve lived through one or more Raleigh winters, you might have noticed an interesting phenomenon: clogged drains are far more common. If you’ve ever wondered whether there was a connection between winter and clogged drains in Raleigh, NC, you were right.

Ice in your pipes

During the winter, the thing most homeowners fear is a pipe blocked by ice. When the temperature gets too cold, the water in your pipes can freeze solid. This not only stops the flow of water through your house, but it can also quickly lead to burst pipes and flooding. You can prevent frozen pipes by having a professional look through your home and add layers of insulation to prevent freezing in the first place.

Vent pipe clogs

Your plumbing system relies on a steady supply of air to ensure liquid and solid waste are moved successfully into the municipal water system. Your plumbing system accomplishes this task by funneling air through your home’s vent pipes. During the winter, moisture and dropping temperatures conspire to form tiny ice walls that block your home’s vent pipes.

When that happens, there’s no air flowing through your plumbing system, and your liquid and solid waste stop moving through your pipes.

Cold weather thickening

During the summer, your home’s plumbing remains warm enough that most typical debris like soap, hair and small amounts of grease can flow through your pipes without stopping. When your pipes get too cold, however, those same substances have a higher tendency of slowing down and accumulating on the sides of your pipes. That can quickly lead to clogs.

Other issues caused by winter

Winter and clogged drains in Raleigh, NC aren’t the only threat to your home. Winter can also cause issues with leaks in your water lines. It can result in problems with your water heater, too. The smartest decision you can make is to have a professional inspect your water heater system before the worst part of winter arrives. A pro can diagnose potential problems before they end up costing you hundreds or thousands of dollars to fix.

Your plumbing pros

Does winter affect clogged drains? Yes! Don’t let winter in Raleigh, NC ruin your plumbing and disrupt your holiday season—come to Affordable Plumbing Call Us 1st, Inc. We have decades of experience working in every room in the home. If it impacts your plumbing, we can fix it. We can also help with routine drain cleaning, water filtration systems, water heaters and more.

When you work alongside Affordable Plumbing Call Us 1st, Inc., you can count on first-rate service on every job we perform—that’s our promise to you. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment.