It’s no secret that frozen pipes can mean big trouble for commercial and residential properties alike. When cold weather strikes, frozen pipes can mean not only expensive repairs but also costly downtime if you are a commercial property owner. As with many other aspects of facility and property management, regular maintenance is crucial preventing your pipes from freezing and bursting.
Our seasoned plumbing experts share their tips to keep the pipes in commercial building proper working order this winter.
The first step to ensuring your pipes are properly prepared for winter is to take a full assessment of all pipes in your plumbing system and identify those that have the greatest risk of freezing. Make a note of all exterior pipes as well as any areas of your building that aren’t heated. This is particularly important in buildings with unheated flex space or industrial warehousing.
Once you’ve identified the pipes at greatest risk for freezing, it’s time to insulate them. Wrap them with strips of pipe wrap, foam pipe sleeves or electrical heat tape.
Have a maintenance team or dedicated facility manager who is familiar with your commercial property regularly inspect your plumbing, especially before and during periods of freezing temperatures. Look for signs of small leaks and fatigue and check to be sure shutoff valves and levers are in working order.
When the weather dips, it’s time to turn up the temperature on your thermostat to help prevent pipes from freezing. In addition, turn on a water faucet to a slow drip before big freezes in order to relieve the build up of pressure that could otherwise result in a ruptured pipe and major water damage.
If you’re operating on a lean team and need help with preventative maintenance, it may be time to call in a facility management expert. Maybe you’ve taken the right preventative measures but still find yourself with broken or frozen pipes. We have emergency plumbers on staff standing by ready to respond quickly and get your business back up and running.
Click here to see EPA Tips on finding leaks.
