A pipe bursting in your home is something that can happen to everyone! I remember the first time it happened to me. I was shocked. It turns out one of my pipes wasn't insulated properly and the water inside froze, causing the pipe to expand, then explode. Which caused a flood in my basement.
If this happens to you, my first piece of advice: stop worrying. In almost all cases, this kind of claim is covered on the average homeowner's insurance policy.
4 Recommendations to Prevent Bursting Pipes (and Flooded Basements!)
Here are my four recommendations to prevent this aggravating event:
- Make sure all pipes close to a basement wall are insulated. You can wrap them yourself with insulation available at any hardware store.
- If you're going to be away from your home for an extended time (a snowbird that heads to Florida in the winter), drain your pipes before you go. There should be no standing water left inside the pipe to freeze. Any plumber or handyman worth his salt can help you.
- If you know a sub-arctic blast is heading your way, and you're not sure if your pipes are well insulated, don't freak out. Just slowly run the water that flows thru the pipes. Moving water is less likely to freeze.
- If you do experience a bursting pipe, call your insurance agent immediately. A quality insurance agent can make arrangements to mitigate further damage to your home.
Check out more information on this topic from the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety.