But while a lower temperature may reduce your heating bill, it could mean disaster if a cold temperatures hit, and your pipes freeze and burst. This doesn't mean you have to keep your house as warm as normal — any temperature 55 degrees or higher is appropriate to keep your pipes safe.
The water temperature should be around 45 degrees (1). Keep the thermostat at a minimum of 68 degrees Fahrenheit: During the winter, it is important to maintain a consistent temperature inside your home. Keeping the thermostat at 68 degrees Fahrenheit or above helps to prevent the pipes from freezing (3).
Ways to avoid frozen pipes
Keep each room in your home warm by setting your thermostat to a minimum of 16 degrees centigrade. If you're worried about your heating bills, turn the radiators down in the rooms you don't use. If you have a loft, leave the hatch open to allow warm air to enter the roof space.
When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.
When temperatures are extremely cold, let cold water drip from the faucet that has exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe helps prevent it from freezing because the temperature of the water is above freezing.
Pipes can freeze when the temperature stays at or below 0°C for an extended period of time, especially if they are exposed to the cold.
A common misconception is that the drip prevents water from freezing because it stays in motion when it's running through the pipes. Although this helps, the truth is that at extreme temperatures water can freeze even while it is flowing.
Yes, pipes can freeze overnight if temperatures plummet drastically. Uninsulated pipes in unheated areas like attics or exterior walls are most vulnerable.
Location in the property: The pipes most likely to freeze are those most exposed to the elements, such as those in unfinished attics, basements, or garages, are at the highest risk of freezing. Drafty areas increase the risk due to wind chill, and pipes in exterior walls close to the cold are often the first to freeze.
Turn the Heat Upin the Property: You can attempt to thaw the frozen pipe by increasing the temperature in the property. Turning the thermostat up may be all that is needed to allow the ice blockage to melt.
Keep your house heated to a minimum of 65 degrees.
The temperature inside the walls where the pipes are located is substantially colder than the walls themselves. A temperature lower than 65 degrees might not keep the inside walls from freezing.
Your thermostat should be set to around 18-21°C, which is the lowest comfortable temperature that is economical too. Not only will this lower your heating bills, it will help to lower your carbon footprint and reduce your households' environmental impact.
Keep the heating on
If you leave your property for any length of time, set your thermostat to maintain a consistent temperature while you're away – this doesn't have to be at the level you would normally heat your home, but should be warm enough to stop pipes freezing over.
Keeping your home at a constant temperature generally means that your HVAC system will run constantly to meet it. This means that your furnace or air conditioner may run when you're asleep, at work, or out of the house. This wastes more energy than the minimal amount that you might save by having it constantly run.
A common rule of thumb is that most models can function properly only above 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Any lower temperature will result in the system freezing up. In addition to a frosty refrigerant, the piping and coils could also become covered with ice.
Temperature Thresholds for Pipe Freezing
Pipes are at risk when the temperature falls to 0°C (32°F) or below. However, factors like wind chill and regional climatic differences can affect this threshold. Unheated spaces like attics, basements, and garages are particularly vulnerable.
Pipe-thawing options: There are several things you can do to thaw your home's pipes. Here's a list: Probably the most popular and safest pipe-thawing option is to use hot water. Wrap and secure heavy towel or burlap bag around pipe to concentrate and hold heat against it.
Here's a list of ways to prevent freezing pipes in your home: Keep the thermostat at a minimum of 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure pipes are properly insulated. Keep water slowly flowing on outer wall faucets.
The pipes most at risk are those in unheated interior spaces such as basements, attics, and garages. But even pipes running through cabinets or exterior walls can freeze. The good news is there are some simple things you can do to keep your water running and your house dry.
Not all frozen pipes burst. However, thawing the ice can increase the risk, as it usually worsens the problem since it raises the pressure further.
When pipes are not insulated very well or they aren't being used, and have no heating source, the water in the pipes will begin to freeze. If you leave pipes to freeze, it is more than likely that after An extended period of time they will begin to crack and inevitably burst.
A foul smell from the drain or faucet is a less-obvious warning sign. Odors are unable to filter out of the frozen pipe and instead are forced back into the home's faucet. No water or a slow trickle when a faucet is used. Whistling and banging coming from pipes, or strange bubbling sounds when you flush a toilet.
You need just a trickle of water to drip so that water is moving through the pipes consistently. How long do I run the water? Let the faucet drip until temperatures are consistently above freezing to be on the safe side.