Protecting Your Pipes: Essential Winterization for the Montreal Freeze

Living in Montreal, we all know how cold it gets. When the temperature drops way below zero, the water inside your pipes can turn into ice. Since ice is bigger than water, it can push against the pipes until they crack or burst. This causes a huge mess and costs a lot of money to fix!

Here are three easy things you can do right now:

1. The Garden Hose Rule

This is the most important step! If you still have a garden hose attached to the outside of your house, go pull it off right now. If water stays in the hose, it will freeze and push ice back into the house, breaking the pipe inside your wall.

• Pro Tip: Find the small valve inside your basement that sends water outside. Turn it off and then open the outside faucet to let any leftover water drip out.

2. Help the Warm Air Move

Pipes like to stay warm, just like we do. Often, pipes are hidden inside kitchen or bathroom cabinets. Because the cabinet doors are closed, the warm air from your heater can’t reach them. On very cold nights, leave your cabinet doors open. This lets the heat from your house keep those pipes cozy.

3. Add a “Winter Coat” for Your Pipes

Go into your basement or garage and look for pipes that are near cold walls. You can buy “foam sleeves” at any hardware store (like Canadian Tire or Home Depot). They look like pool noodles with a slit down the side. You just slide them over the pipes to give them an extra layer of protection.

Important Note for Condo Owners

If you live in a condo, remember that Law 16 in Quebec now means your building must keep a very strict “Maintenance Logbook.” This includes checking the main water systems. If you see a leak in a common area, tell your condo board right away so it can be added to the official records!

Stay warm and keep those pipes dry!