Your plumbing system is an important aspect of the overall infrastructure of your house. Any damage to the pipes has ripple effects throughout the house, and can significantly affect the functioning of other fixtures, like the faucets and pressure valves.
While most pipe issues are easy to fix, a burst pipe poses a lot of trouble and expenses. And now that winter is here, you need to be a lot more careful with your home’s pipes.
Here are the reasons that cause them to burst:
What causes pipes to burst
Bursting pipes are a common phenomenon in winters. So if you’re in a—rare—region of Texas where it snows, you need to be extra careful. When the water inside pipes freezes, it expands and exerts pressure on the walls of the pipes.
When the pressure becomes too high and the pipes can’t withstand it, they rupture. Another reason why pipes burst is that water particles come closer to each other in their frozen state. This increases their density, making it heavier than it was, and putting extra stress on the pipes.
Whether or not your pipes burst also depends on the quality of the plumbing system. If you’ve been using the same pipes for years, it’s likely that they’ve experienced some corrosion and have become worn out. This weakens their structural integrity and puts them at risk of damage.
What are the hazards?
Sudden bursting can cause significant damage to household belongings, property, and furniture. Other than that, it also results in immense water wastage. At times, water leakages can also result in flooding.
Residential flooding is not easy to deal with. Not only does it cause irreversible damage to your belongings, but it might also destroy some of them completely.
If your entire house is flooded, you might even have to look for temporary accommodation elsewhere. Other than that, pipe repairs aren’t inexpensive. If more than one pipe bursts, you might even have to get the entire plumbing system replaced.
One of the biggest risks that a burst pipe poses is to your health. If you’re unable to get rid of the stagnant water immediately, it can lead to the formation of mold, mildew, and humidity.
These put homeowners at risk of developing respiratory issues like asthma, throat infections, wheezing, and eye irritation. Plus, anyone who is near the pipes at the time can even suffer an injury.
In case of a burst pipe, the first thing you need to do is quickly move all important possessions and people away from the site. Next, call a plumbing service to repair the pipes and minimize the losses.
Our services in Fort Worth, Texas include emergency plumbing services.
