We know what you’re thinking: Don’t even speak that awful word right now. Winter, ugh. Right there with you. But the way things are going this fall, we’ll have snow on the ground in no time, and it’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes to plumbing issues if you ask us.

As the seasons begin to change, it’s never a bad idea to begin thinking about how to prepare your home for those winter months. While it might be easier to ignore that winter’s coming, taking the proper precautions can help prevent lasting plumbing issues caused by cold weather.

First and foremost, disconnecting your hoses from outside faucets is a very simple thing you can do to winterize. If hoses are not removed, they will undoubtedly freeze. Along with the hose, water left in the faucet itself will cause the pipes to freeze and split causing major problems next spring.

Better yet, if you have a valve that turns off the outside faucets, you can simply close it and drain the water from the line by opening up the outside faucet.

Another thing to consider is that having more people in your home for the holidays inevitably puts a strain on your plumbing system. During times when you have more people in your home, take extra care of your garbage disposals by avoiding overuse.

You can often help eliminate the likelihood of trash being flushed down the drain by placing additional trash cans in the bathroom or the kitchen.

We’re not there yet, and hopefully, we’ve got lots of time before this happens, but on nights when the temperature is expected to drop below freezing, run your faucets at a drip. Running water can prevent pipes from bursting even if they freeze. You can also open cabinet doors along exterior walls to allow heat to reach pipes.

Cold weather is definitely on its way, but a little bit of prep work can soften the blow. Being prepared can go a long way to help avoid major plumbing issues.

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