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Planning Ahead Can Save You From An Expensive Plumber Bill


On a freezing cold night, making sure your outside water faucets are protected can save you hundreds even thousands of dollars in plumbing problems.

A faucet cover is about $1 at any home supply store and can prevent your pipes from bursting. That’s a lot less expensive than getting a bill from a plumber - there is also something very basic you can do inside your home - to prevent a problem - due to freezing temperatures.

Master plumber Brian Hoile says frigid temperatures can quickly cause water to freeze and expand, bursting your water pipes. "Take care of it ahead of time because, honestly, plumbers aren't cheap,” he says.

Taking preventative measure he says are as easy as picking out a faucet cover. But what about simply wrapping a towel around your outside faucets? "Towels are out in my opinion, because if they get wet their going to freeze,” says Hoile.

That could potentially freeze your pipes faster -- costing you hundreds or even thousands of dollars in repairs.

So what can you do inside your home? Hoile says you can open up faucets just a trickle to keep them from freezing. The same applies for your bathroom faucets and tub. But the most important fixture to leave running when temperatures dip down several days in a row is the one furthest from your water meter.

By Angel Covarrubias