Don’t Forget About Your Plumbing During a Power Outage

A power outage is uncomfortable for many reasons.  No matter the time of year, it’s never a good time for the power to go out. In warm months, keeping everyone cool and preserving your food might be at the top of your mind, while in colder months staying warm might be the primary concern. Either way, you don’t want to forget about your plumbing during a power outage in Detroit.

How Does a Black Out Affect Your Plumbing?

Water and electricity shouldn’t mix, but when the power goes out, you may be surprised at the effects it could have on your plumbing system.  Frozen pipes, flooded basements, and even some tankless hot water heaters and toilets use some electricity to function. Understanding how a black out could affect your Detroit home is an important part of being prepared.

Tips For Protecting Your Plumbing During a Power Outage

The plumbing experts at FLAME in Detroit recommend you do the following during a power outage to take care of your plumbing:

• In order to prevent frozen pipes, keep water running by turning on the bathroom, kitchen, and laundry tub faucets to a trickle. Though this is not necessarily important during the warm summer months, it’s definitely something you want to do while the weather is cold.
• If the power is predicted to be out for a few days or more, turn off the valve to your home’s main water line
• Install a backup water-powered pump to a sump pump.  If your basement is prone to flooding, installing a backup water powered pump to your sump pump is something that you can have a plumber do ahead of time. This will be especially useful if the cause of the power outage is a major storm.
• Call a professional plumber, such as the licensed FLAME plumbers to check your pipes once power comes back on. You want to make sure that the water is safe and that everything is still in good working condition.

For information about staying safe and comfortable during a power outage, contact FLAME!