"Ever checked behind your cabinets or sinks for drafts or gaps?"
Good point—people often overlook that. I'd also suggest checking around outdoor faucets and hose bibs. A quick wrap with insulation tape there can prevent a nasty surprise later... learned that the hard way myself.
"A quick wrap with insulation tape there can prevent a nasty surprise later... learned that the hard way myself."
Insulation tape helps, but honestly, foam faucet covers are even better. They're cheap, reusable, and I've found they hold up better through rough winters. Worth the few extra bucks, IMO.
Insulation tape helps, but honestly, foam faucet covers are even better.
Foam covers are definitely a step up from tape, especially if you're dealing with harsh winters regularly. Still, I'd recommend pairing them with pipe insulation sleeves for extra protection—better safe than sorry. Ever had issues with indoor pipes freezing too, or mostly outdoor faucets?
"Ever had issues with indoor pipes freezing too, or mostly outdoor faucets?"
Indoor pipes can definitely freeze—learned that the hard way a few winters back. Had tenants call me at 3 AM because their kitchen faucet stopped working. Turns out the pipe running along an exterior wall wasn't insulated enough. Since then, I always recommend foam sleeves on indoor pipes near outside walls and cabinets left slightly open overnight to let warm air circulate. Haven't had a repeat yet...knock on wood.
Indoor pipes freezing definitely happens more than people realize. A few winters ago, we had a similar experience—nothing quite as dramatic as a 3 AM tenant call, but still pretty frustrating. Our bathroom sink is on an exterior wall, and one particularly cold night, the water just stopped coming out. At first, I thought it was a plumbing issue or maybe something clogging the faucet, but nope...pipe was frozen solid.
After some careful inspection, I realized the insulation behind that wall was pretty thin, and there was a tiny gap letting cold air in. It wasn't obvious at first glance, but once I started poking around, it became clear that even small drafts can cause big problems when temps drop below freezing.
Ever since then, I've been pretty meticulous about checking insulation and sealing any gaps around pipes, especially near exterior walls. Foam sleeves are great, like you mentioned, but I've also found that sealing up drafts with caulk or spray foam can make a huge difference. Also, leaving faucets dripping slightly overnight during really cold snaps has saved me from another frozen pipe episode so far.
One thing I've wondered though—is there a certain type of insulation that's better suited for pipes in tight spaces? Foam sleeves are straightforward enough, but sometimes the pipes run through spots that are tricky to access. Curious if anyone's tried something different or found a better solution for those awkward areas.
