Winter Plumbing Tips for Orange Homes

Why Orange Winters Are Hard on Plumbing

Orange sits at 900 metres elevation, giving it cold winters and significant temperature swings that cause pipe expansion and contraction throughout the year. When water inside a pipe freezes, it expands — and pipe walls or fittings that can't accommodate that expansion fail suddenly. The burst usually happens as the ice thaws and pressure re-equalises, which means you can wake up to running water inside a wall hours after the freeze event.

Protecting Exposed Pipes

External taps, outdoor shower fittings, and pipes running through uninsulated subfloor spaces in Bowen and Calare are the most vulnerable. Insulating exposed pipes with foam pipe lagging is the most effective protection — it's inexpensive, available at hardware stores, and takes an hour to install.

For outdoor taps on exposed walls, consider fitting a frost-protection tap (a tap that automatically drains when closed). These are available from plumbing suppliers and we can install them as part of any site visit.

Hot Water System Checks Before Winter

If your hot water system is more than 8 years old, a pre-winter service is worthwhile — particularly anode rod inspection (the anode is the sacrificial element that protects the tank from internal corrosion; a depleted anode accelerates tank failure). Electric storage systems also benefit from a thermostat check to ensure they're heating to the correct temperature.

For gas hot water systems, annual service including flue inspection is recommended. A blocked or deteriorating flue on a gas heater is a carbon monoxide risk.

If You're Going Away in Winter

Vacant properties are the most common site for burst pipe damage in Orange's winter. If you're leaving for more than a week, consider: leaving the heat on low to prevent the interior from reaching freezing point; turning off the water at the meter (this means draining hot water tanks); and having a neighbour check the property periodically.

If you do turn off the water at the meter, drain the system by opening the lowest tap in the house and leaving it open until flow stops.