byAlma Abell

As winter arrives your plumbing concerns can become quite huge. Freezing water can can quickly cause your pipes to burst leaving disaster in their wake. Frozen pipes can be a problem for both fresh water and waste water lines although the sewage lines are usually buried deep enough to not freeze often. However, shallowly buried drain lines can present a problem if a blockage occurs and isn’t cleared before the freeze sets in.

Preparing your pipes for winter takes a skilled Plumber Minneapolis MN who can check both the quality of the pipes and the insulation covering them. Exposed fresh water lines need extra insulation in colder areas to prevent freezing and in some cases they can even use electric warmers to prevent freezing. Drain lines should be cleaned if possible and your plumber should test the lines to ensure they aren’t cracked or prone to clog. The best way to handle this is with a video inspection.

A video snake can work through the various curves and connections in the pipe giving the plumber an up close view of the condition of the pipes. Your plumber will check for cracks as well as clogs and make sure the pipes will flow freely. If they see major clog possibilities they may suggest you have the lines cleaned. Many companies like Drain King provide a cleaning service that makes use of a high pressured wash to clean the pipes. As this pressurized water flows through the pipes it scours the pipe walls and flushes the loosened waste down the drains.

In most cases the plumber will view the pipes again just to ensure you won’t have need for an emergency Plumber Minneapolis MN. However, if they find cracks or other damage they may suggest a means of repair. Fixing the drain lines can be done in two ways. The easiest is to dig the pipes up, but that may require some serious disruption of your lawn. The alternative is a trench-less method of pipe repair that uses an insert to repair the pipes. This simple method works well with many drain pipes provided the damage isn’t too extensive.