No Way To Do Business

Fixing broken pipes is not cheap, but water damage to your business from burst pipes can be considerable. Affected business’s annual damage totals can run into the hundreds of millions of dollars — including replacement costs not only of wrecked plumbing, but of furniture, decor, equipment and infrastructure.

It also can be time consuming just to schedule repairs, and depending on the extent of the damage, profitable operations could be impaired until they’re completed. Remember: an arctic chill that takes out your plumbing will probably clobber other businesses too. You could get stuck waiting a while for a commercial contractor.

So, the best solution is to understand why and where pipes freeze and burst, then put a plan in place to prevent it.

Why Pipes Freeze

The pipes that bring water to your taps are pressurized, meaning that they’re usually full of water at all times. At normal temperatures — anywhere between 32 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit — the water in the pipe remains liquid, and both the water and the pipes behave as expected.

Below 32 degrees, however, the water that fills your pipes starts to freeze.

By contrast to most chemical compounds, water expands as it freezes. When that expansion occurs in a confined area such as a pipe, it eventually creates a blockage, and any water that has not yet frozen is pushed away from the expanding ice. This can ultimately produce excessive pressure that the pipe itself (or even one of the fittings along its length) is not structurally able to withstand, resulting in a crack or tear.

At that point, you’re dealing with a burst pipe.

Where Pipes Freeze

Are there trouble spots where pipes are more likely to burst? Yes: the most vulnerable pipes are those that are not contained within the heated interior of a building.

As a rule of thumb, any area that is warm enough for a person to comfortably work in without winter clothing would be relatively safe from pipe bursts — assuming a normal, uninterrupted supply of workplace heat. Conversely, any area that would be too cold for a person to sit in for an extended period would require additional measures to protect pipes from freezing.

Some obvious areas where this could be a problem include attics, basements, wall voids and crawl spaces, but in thinly insulated zones, even enclosures like cabinets or vanities can get cold enough to allow a pipe to freeze.

Preventing Frozen Pipes

By making sure that pipes are adequately heated and monitored for problems, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of catastrophic damage from a burst pipe. Government organizations like ProtectYourPipes.org have some handy prevention tips. Here are a few pointers that can help reduce your risk.

Heating

The primary precaution you can take to keep your pipes from freezing is straightforward: make sure they’re heated.

While that may sound a bit obvious, consider that much of a building’s plumbing is not directly exposed to the same comfortable atmosphere as its human inhabitants. Snoop around your facility — opening cabinets, drawers, crawl-space doors — and feel the surfaces inside those hidden spaces. If they’re cold, so are your pipes.

Consider leaving those doors and drawers open, and if necessary, apply heat tape to the pipes. While that’s a small drag on your electric bill, it’s way less expensive than repairing a busted pipe. (Pro-tip: if you use heat tape without a thermostat or timed shut-off, you can set an October calendar reminder to plug the tape in and another in April to unplug it.)

Insulation

Bare pipes are vulnerable pipes. Wherever possible, make sure there’s a layer of insulation between the pipes and outer walls, and insulate the pipes themselves with fiberglass or polyethylene pipe insulation available at most well-stocked hardware or home repair stores.

If you’re using heat tape along with pipe insulation, make sure the tape is wrapped around the pipe before fitting the insulation.

Sealing

While most of your facility’s outer shell (roof, siding, etc.) is adequate to keep the elements at bay, it may not be as good at keeping out the wind.

While you’re inspecting your facility, be on the lookout for gaps or holes that allow outside air into spaces through which your piping runs. Heat transfers (escapes) much more rapidly in moving air, so plugging those holes can make a substantial difference in how quickly your pipes freeze.

Monitoring

For fuller protection against burst pipes, consider installing a monitoring system. These devices can alert you when the temperature in sensitive areas drops into the danger zone. They can also warn you of open windows or doors that might accelerate a freeze.

Don’t Let Your Business Be Left Out in The Cold