Here in northern Illinois, fall is almost upon us! The leaves are changing colors, the temperature is dropping, and we can feel the change in the seasons. While we start preparing our homes for cooler weather, it is important to add winterizing the outdoor plumbing to your fall task list.

What is Outdoor Plumbing?

When you think about plumbing, you probably don’t immediately think about the outdoor plumbing of your home. Showers, sinks, toilets, and appliances are all located indoors – what could possibly be outside that you need to think about? Well, the truth is – all plumbing begins outdoors. It makes it incredibly important to start with winterizing your plumbing outside.

Pipes all extend to your main water line. Think about the spigots and irrigation systems that lead to your sewers. When weather cools and temperatures fall, the water inside these pipes can freeze. Freezing pipes tend to start with the pipes closest to the weather – all outdoors. Water will expand inside these pipes, causing them to crack or burst. This can ultimately lead to damage to your home and property.

How to Prevent Outdoor Water Damage

We all know that Chicago is known for freezing temperatures. At McMahon Services, we have perfected the art of working with homeowners and businesses to repair broken pipes and water damaged homes due to leaks caused by frozen plumbing. To keep outdoor water damage from occurring, here are the steps to take during the fall to stop frozen pipes in the winter months.

Start your outdoor winterization process with the following:

1. Remove your outdoor hoses. You will no longer need to water your gardens or your grass as the weather cools down and the snow starts to fall. Drain the hoses of water, remove all hoses and exterior faucets from outside before storing them in a garage or shed.
2. Winterize your systems. Sprinkler systems need to be removed of all water in order to prevent freezing. You can hire a professional to service the system or do this yourself by using a manual blow out drain method to ensure all water is gone from the system.
3. Turn off the water valve. This ensures that all exterior faucets are shut off and exterior water has been turned off for the season. Should you keep the water open, this leaves your pipes prone to freezing during the colder months.
4. Cap any spigots to help prevent freezing. Once all exterior faucets are closed, cover them with insulation covers.
5. Check for any leaks in pipes. Inspect any areas around your faucets and pipes for cracks and seal off any that you might find to prevent cold air from reaching the interior of your home.

Call McMahon Services for Water Damage Restoration Services

Regardless of how much you prepare your home for the winter, water damage and frozen pipes can still occur. If you experience burst pipes or a slow leak in your home over the winter months, call in the water damage experts at McMahon Services to help you fix the issues quickly and efficiently. We will work with you to get your home back to normal as quickly as possible – and offer emergency services as well. Call us right away 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.