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Winter is hard on plumbing, even if everything seems quiet behind the walls. Colder weather, extra cooking, and holiday guests all put more strain on pipes, drains, and water heaters. Small issues that went unnoticed in the fall can turn into leaks or no-hot-water moments once temperatures drop. At Patterson Plumbing, we help you head into winter with a plan so your plumbing feels ready instead of fragile.
Frozen Pipes And Sudden Bursts
Frozen pipes are one of the biggest winter worries, and with good reason. Water expands as it turns to ice. When that happens inside a pipe, pressure builds between the ice plug and the nearest closed valve. The pipe often splits in a weak section or at a fitting, even if it looked fine the day before. Lines in exterior walls, unheated basements, crawl spaces, and garages pose the greatest risk. You may notice a faucet that slows to a trickle or stops completely on a very cold morning, while other fixtures still work. That change is a classic early sign that a section has frozen.
If you suspect a frozen pipe, turn off the water to that branch or, if you are not sure where the problem is, shut off the main and call a licensed plumber. Avoid using open flames, torches, or high-heat devices to thaw anything. Those methods can damage pipes and create a real fire hazard. Simple prevention helps a lot. Before the cold hits, have a pro check exposed lines, add shutoff valves where they will help, and talk through winter settings for your home. On freezing nights, they may suggest keeping the indoor temperature steady and opening cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warmer air can circulate around supply lines.
Water Heater Strain And Lukewarm Showers
Your water heater works harder in winter, even if your habits stay the same. Incoming water arrives colder, so the heater has to raise its temperature more for each shower and dishwashing cycle. Old tanks with heavy sediment or tired parts struggle with that extra load. You might notice lukewarm showers, a longer wait for hot water, or rumbling sounds from the tank. Gas units may cycle frequently, while electric units may seem to run constantly to keep up with demand.
A good way to avoid that winter surprise is to schedule a water heater check before the cold season settles in. A professional can flush the tank if the design allows it, test relief valves, and verify safe venting and combustion on gas models. They can also measure recovery times and discuss the realistic capacity for your household size. If your heater is near the end of its expected lifespan, planning a replacement in mild weather is much easier than making big decisions when you already have no hot water and guests on the way.
Slow Drains, Clogs, and Holiday Kitchen Habits
Winter often brings more cooking, more dishes, and more people using sinks and bathrooms. All that activity is tough on drains. Fats, oils, and food scraps that get rinsed down the kitchen sink can cool and harden in the line as they travel through colder parts of the plumbing. In bathrooms, extra showers and laundry feed soap film and lint into pipes that may already be partly narrowed. You might see water standing in the sink longer than usual, hear gurgling in a nearby drain, or smell sewer odours when fixtures run.
To protect your drains, scrape plates into the trash, let grease cool in a container instead of pouring it into the sink, and use strainers where they make sense. If a drain still slows down, skip chemical cleaners. Those products can harm older pipes and often move the clog a little farther down the line.
Prevent Winter Plumbing Headaches With a Seasonal Plan
Winter plumbing problems do not appear out of nowhere. Frozen pipes, weak hot water, and stubborn drains usually grow from small stresses that have been building for a while. Regular seasonal maintenance makes those weak points easier to spot and fix before they interrupt your day. If you want to head into the colder months with fewer surprises and a clearer plan for your plumbing, schedule your winter tune-up with Patterson Plumbing and let a pro walk through the details with you.
