Clamp kits can definitely save your bacon in a pinch. First time I tried one, it was middle of winter, water spraying everywhere...not exactly ideal conditions for learning. Took a couple tries to get it seated right and tightened evenly. Biggest trick is staying calm—panic just makes your hands shaky and the clamp slips around. And yeah, insulation wraps are a no-brainer. Haven't had a burst pipe call yet where proper insulation wouldn't have prevented it. Prevention's always cheaper than repairs, trust me.
Had my first burst pipe last winter—total nightmare. Didn't have a clamp kit handy, so I ended up using duct tape and towels just to slow things down until the plumber got there. Definitely not ideal, but it bought me some time. Agree completely on insulation wraps, though. After that mess, I insulated every pipe I could reach. Took a weekend and wasn't expensive at all. Haven't had an issue since, even during some pretty nasty cold snaps. Honestly, prevention seems like the only real solution here...because dealing with water spraying everywhere at 2 AM is something I'd rather never repeat.
Had a similar scare a couple years back—total chaos. Now I keep a clamp kit handy, but honestly, insulating pipes and sealing drafts around the house made the biggest difference. Plus, saves energy too...win-win.
Had a pipe burst last winter and it was a nightmare—water everywhere, ruined carpet, the works. After that, I insulated the pipes myself (way cheaper than hiring someone). Honestly, didn't notice a huge drop in energy bills, but at least no more pipe drama. Curious though, did you use foam sleeves or fiberglass wrap? I went with foam sleeves because they seemed easier, but wondering if fiberglass might've been better long-term...
"Curious though, did you use foam sleeves or fiberglass wrap?"
Foam sleeves here too—mainly because of the convenience and price factor. Fiberglass probably insulates slightly better long-term, but honestly, it's messy to handle and a pain if you ever need to access pipes again. Foam sleeves are easy to pop off and back on if you have to check something. Didn't notice much energy savings either, but peace of mind is worth it...especially after dealing with soaked carpets once already.
