You can tell your tiny home has frozen pipes because of the huge block of ice lodged inside the pipe. Learn how to protect your pipes from the affects of winter cold

When did you realize that the pipes in your tiny home were just as susceptible to freezing as the next 3-story, 8-bedroom home? Winter is right around the corner, so hopefully you didn’t realize this today.

Service Experts has an article published explaining that frozen pipes typically take place when high water pressure from the main water pipe encounters freezing temperatures. Pretty simple to understand. Now, what can we do to avoid this?

WINTER MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR TINY LIVING:

Though a lot of maintenance does decrease with tiny living, location and environment, age of home, design, and weather are some factors that homeowners have to take into consideration. In this case, unremitting cold weather and seasons could freeze pipes and cause long-term issues.

Frozen pipes are a common plumbing problem for homeowners in America, and a tiny home unfortunately can also experience this problem. In fact, the plumbing in a tiny home is generally far more exposed to the elements since most pipes, water tanks, and water connections are outside.

So a self-maintaining tiny home might sound ideal, but if we want our home to take care of us, we have to take care of it. Here are a few super simple tips to apply so your tiny house doesn’t have to experience frozen pipes this winter:

2. Insulate those pipes

One tiny home family has a propane instant hot water heater inside a box that’s fixed to the back of their tiny house.

To ensure the heater and the box itself stays warm, they first cover it in foam and then insulate every pipe with heat tape. They even use an incandescent light bulb that turns on at a certain temperature to add extra heat inside the box.

3. Warm it up:

This blogger and tiny home aficianado recommends detaching the pipes from the water supply and peeking inside. To thaw a frozen tiny house pipe, simply detach the pipe and move it to a warm location. If you’re feeling innovative, you can even use a blow-dryer to thaw the ice, or park it next to a space heater to speed up the process.

4. Put a skirt on it:

Some tiny house owners cover the perimeter of their homes — using straw, canvas, and foam from the ground to the bottom of the structure — to ensure heat stays locked inside. This process, known as skirting, can also help to protect the pipes under the trailer from freezing.

The idea behind skirting is that there’s no foundation under the house, so the cold can get into the house through the floor.

Related Reading: 7 Surprising Issues Tiny House Owners Face in the Winter

PRO TIP: To avoid a leaky or bursting pipe, leave a faucet slightly open to make sure the water can continuously flow through. If the faucet is shut off, the combined pressure of the expanding and shrinking ice blockage and the increasing water pressure behind it can cause pipes to leak or burst.

IN SUMMARY:

Many people purchase tiny homes to reduce living costs and increase their quality of life. But there are some maintenance must-haves for every home, no matter the size, and pipes are just one of them.

If you’ve applied these tips and your tiny home’s pipes are still concerning you, give us a call at Pipe It Right! We offer a FREE inspection and estimate of your piping system.

1-833-474-7348 (toll-free)

949-291-1843 (Orange County location)

909-765-9001 (San Bernardino location)