Although we know Jack Frost is going to visit Lethbridge yet again, it seems like most of us are big-time procrastinators in practicing winter preparedness, from swapping our off-season wardrobes, car tires, and home insulation to double-checking pipes and fixtures. If you leave your pipes, including your drain and supply lines, unattended and exposed to frost, the water flowing through them will expand and bloat your pipes, resulting in blockages that restrict water flow and cause damage.
The hefty pressure will then cause a pipe to burst. If you experience low water pressure when you’re washing your hands or taking a shower, we suggest turning off the faucet and getting a trained plumber to inspect the water supply lines, as you may need burst or frozen pipe repair.
Lethbridge homeowners can expect pipes to freeze when temperatures dip below 14°C. Considering cold snaps are the norm in Alberta, we always recommend practicing winterization earlier on. For the coldest spaces of your indoors, like your basement and attic, ensure drafty doors, windows, and crawl spaces are correctly sealed, insulated, and weather-stripped. It’s also smart to turn off the shutoff valves on any plumbing fixtures that you barely use, for example, in an unfinished basement, as it’s more susceptible to frozen pipes.