How Landlords Can Prevent Bursting Water Pipes in Cold Weather
Today in Ottawa the temperature dropped to -38°C. Large parts of Canada and the United States are in a brutal cold snap, with Toronto and Montreal at -20°C. In conditions like these, water pipes freeze and burst, which can be a nightmare for small landlords and a more-than-minor inconvenience for tenants.
It's a sneaky problem, especially if your units aren't all-inclusive and your tenants pay for their own heat. And it's worse when you're dealing with it yourself in weather that makes Antarctica look like a beach vacation.
Why do pipes freeze?
- Pipes that aren't well protected or insulated
- Cold drafts, usually through cracks or gaps where a pipe enters the building
- Pipes inside cupboards, where warm air from the room can't reach them if the doors stay closed
- Not enough heat in the unit
What makes pipes burst?
- Water freezes and expands inside the pipe.
- Repeated freezing and expansion builds pressure between the ice and the closed tap.
- Under that repeated pressure, the pipe eventually bursts.
If you suspect a damaged or burst pipe, shut off the water and call a licensed plumber.
How to prevent frozen and burst pipes
- Let a thin, steady stream of cold water run from a tap, about the thickness of a pencil. Catch it in a bucket to reuse if you like.
- Insulate pipes in unheated areas, like crawlspaces. Hardware stores sell foam pipe insulation for this.
- Leave the cupboard doors under sinks open, especially where pipes run along an outside wall, so warm air reaches them.
- Seal drafty cracks and repair broken windows near pipes.
- Shut off and drain the pipes to outside taps.
- Tell your tenants what to watch for in a cold snap, and how to reach you.
A to-do in Rentingwell each fall, with a due date, is a good way to remember the outside taps and insulation.
Originally published January 24, 2013. We've removed links that had been added to this post without our permission.