Weather change can affect various structural details in your home. Maintaining sewage pipes can be the most challenging among all the structural elements in your home. Cold temperatures, especially in regions with high humidity, can cause several issues in homes’ sewage systems. 

However, you can ensure a healthy sewage system in winters for your home by taking the following measures:

Replacing Leaking Pipes

Letting pipes leak only worsens the situation over time. Temporary fixes also only last for a limited period. After that, the pipe with leaks can develop further cracks or holes. Such a situation can go unnoticed in the winter months due to the condensation of sewage pipes. 

Condensation leads to slowed leaks which can be easily missed and continue to destroy the wall, electric wiring, wall insulation, or other structural elements of the home. 

Instead of fixing leaking pipes with temporary leaks, replace newer pipes to maintain a healthy sewage system in winters or throughout the year. You don’t have to replace the entire length of pipes necessarily. Only replace as much section of the sewage pipe as needed to cut down the cost and effort. 

Insulating Open Plumbing

Covering all open plumbing in your house with insulation sheets can greatly help maintain a healthy sewage system in winters. While condensation can occur in all sewage pipes, it is more likely to occur in open plumbing, especially in the house’s exterior. 

However, covering open plumbing with insulation sheets is an easy and cost-effective method to minimize condensation in pipes during winter. You can find insulation sheets for the purpose from any hardware store. Measure the open plumbing in both the exterior and interior of your home before you buy it so you can know how much you need. 

Raking and Disposing Leaves

While you may not consider it a huge problem, fallen leaves have a high chance of entering utility holes and blocking your home’s sewage system. Along with fallen leaves, small twigs and branches can also be carried by the wind and enter any open pipes. 

Twigs and branches can get stuck in pipes, while leaves can also pile up. Since there is no direct pressure in sewage pipes under the house or on the street, leaves and twigs can stay stuck for longer periods and stop the flow of other sewage waste. 

Hence, if you want to maintain a healthy sewage system in winters, regularly rake your front and back yard and dispose of raked leaves properly. 

Maintaining Tree Roots

In cold temperatures, the roots of the trees can shrink. As leaves fall, the evaporation of water from tree leaves drop. The lowered air temperature also slows the internal processes of the tree, sending them in a hibernation mode.

 Both these factors result in reduced need for water by the trees, and their roots shrink as per the requirement. The increased condensation in the soil can also lead tree roots to loosen their grip on the soil. 

All the above factors combine to increase water quantity in the soil. This water can apply constant pressure on the sewage pipelines and the basement walls of your home. On sewage pipes, this water pressure can easily create gaps and cracks in the pipes. On the other hand, the water pressure can leak into basement walls and mold growth. 

You can maintain tree roots in their place by using a sump pump in your home’s yard. A sump pump can help get rid of excess water in the soil, reducing the need for tree roots to shrink and keeping soil in place.  

Following Drainage Guidelines

While you should follow drainage guidelines throughout the year, not following them can cause greater damage during the winter months than it does in summer. During winter, draining oil, grease, or other food down the drain can quickly lead to blocked sewage pipes. 

Oil and grease can solidify and stick in the sewage pipes. As they can also be sticky, they can lead to other sewage waste sticking to them, expanding the sewage system’s blockage. 

Always dispose of food waste in a trash bin. Use high-quality fat-soluble dish soap to wash dirty dishes throughout winter. Washing dishes with warm water can also help liquefy oil and take it down the drain. Regularly run a baking soda and vinegar solution followed by hot water rinse through your kitchen pipes all winter to keep your sewage pipes healthy and clean. 

Finally, don’t forget to install a water heating facility to keep sewage pipes open and maintain a healthy sewage system in winters. Contact Atlantic PHAC, local plumbing, heating, and air conditioning service provider, for Hampton heating services and plumbing. 

Most homeowners prefer natural gas to propane and electricity. Among its many advantages is it decreases energy bills for homeowners and can increase the value of your home. At Atlantic Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning, we always recommend our clients choose natural gas, as it’s a decision that pays off in the long run. Homeowners can save up to 67 percent on energy bills by switching. If you decide to make the switch after this reading, look no further than our Yorktown plumbers. We can assist you with the installation of natural gas to your home for an appliance or home heating system.

Why Make the Switch?

The reasons are obvious. You will save significantly on costs for heating and water heating. Additionally, your home will get warmer faster and more efficiently (we’ll soon elaborate on this), which every homeowner in Yorktown and the surrounding areas can appreciate. The advantages don’t stop there.

Safer Than the Alternatives

The safety of your family is important to you, right? Of course, it is. Why would you choose a more harmful energy source to heat your home, such as propane, when you have the option of choosing natural gas, which is significantly safer? Because propane is heavier than air, it does not dissolve into air or exit closed spaces easily, whereas natural gas is lighter than air.

While both produce carbon monoxide, natural gas mostly produces water vapor. In fact, it produces virtually no carbon monoxide. Additionally, a furnace fueled by natural gas produces no airborne particles and dissolved solids. It produces little sulfur dioxide. Because these things all have negative impacts on one’s health, it’s important to know which energy source is safer for you and your family.

Better for the Environment

Propane may not be as harmful to the environment as people once believed, but that doesn’t mean you should choose it over natural gas. In addition to being safer for the home, natural gas is also better for the environment than other energy sources, such as heating oil and electricity produced from fossil fuel. Because it produces very little carbon dioxide, you can heat up your home and decrease your carbon footprint.

Furthermore, by using natural gas over electricity, we can all reduce our dependency on electricity, which has a negative impact on the environment.

More Dependable

Did you know that gas lines run underground? This is a lot more dependable than powerlines, which can easily be downed by a severe storm. As a result, you can depend on natural gas to provide heat to your home all winter long. Power outages will have no effect on homeowners, as their natural gas furnace will continue to run, protecting your pipes from exposure to freezing temperatures.

At Atlantic PHAC, we are a Virginia Natural Gas Qualified Dealer. We can install an extension of your current gas line to any appliance such as your stove or water heater. With an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau, we are the company to trust in the Virginia Peninsula.

More Affordable

In general, natural gas costs less than heating oil, propane, and electricity, as you only pay for what is used each month. Compare this to propane, which has an upfront cost no matter how much is used. Its efficiency, which is largely due to the modern design of most natural gas furnaces, can help reduce your energy bills and save you more each month. In addition to this, you spend less on fuel costs because burning natural gas is typically less expensive than burning other fuel sources.

So, what are you waiting for? If you haven’t already done so, it may be time to make the switch. The winter months are quickly upon us, so there’s no time like the present to contact a reliable Yorktown plumbing company and convert to a natural gas heating system.

Contact Atlantic Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning

Our team has proudly served the Virginia Peninsula since 1977. We offer competitive pricing and continue to provide prompt professional service. When your equipment needs to be serviced, rest assured knowing we offer 24/7 service, and we are just a phone call away. For Yorktown plumbers that you can trust, contact Atlantic Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning. Call 757-898–5529 for a free estimate.