Why You Need to Winterize in Charlotte
People tend to think of heat, not cold, when they think of Charlotte. And after these scorching hot and humid summers, who wouldn’t? However, it’s important to realize that we have cold snaps that often last several days or even weeks during which the weather is cold enough to cause serious problems with freezing pipes. Frozen pipes, if not thawed properly, lead to cracked or burst pipes, and that means water damage. Every winter we receive hundreds of plumbing emergency calls because Charlotte homeowners did not winterize.
Charlotte Coldest Temps (Last 10 Years)
January 8, 2017: 14 degrees Fahrenheit
January 19, 2016: 14 degrees Fahrenheit
February 20, 2015: 7 degrees Fahrenheit
January 30, 2014: 5 degrees Fahrenheit
December 13, 2013: 18 degrees Fahrenheit
January 4, 2012: 16 degrees Fahrenheit
January 9, 2011: 13 degrees Fahrenheit
December 15, 2010: 10 degrees Fahrenheit
January 17, 2009: 9 degrees Fahrenheit
November 22, 2008: 13 degrees Fahrenheit
When Cold Temps Linger
When a cold snap hits, it often sticks around town for several days. For example, last January (2018) brought us the longest cold snap Charlotte had seen in almost a century. The temps weren’t record lows, but for over a week, highs did not climb above freezing. During that eight-day stretch, Charlotte pipes froze and burst in record numbers because the constant low temps are more dangerous to pipes than one super cold night.
A couple weeks after that, we had another long cold snap, and again, our phones rang off the hook. If you check out the typical winter trends, we have cold snaps most years in December, January and February, so it’s important to winterizing in November, before that December cold front comes through. Anyone who’s lived in North Carolina for any amount of time knows we may have temps in the 70’s one week and in the 20’s the next during the winter.
Charlotte Winterizing Tips
Folks from up North may laugh at the idea of winterizing in Charlotte, but that’s because the homes up North are built to withstand the cold. Here homes are built to handle the heat. As a result, crawl spaces, wells and external pipes are especially at risk.
We’ve devoted a good amount of time to building a repository of step-by-step winterizing guides. Check out the list below, consider your home’s particular needs, and click on the links to get detailed instructions on how to properly winterize your home.
- How to prevent pipes from freezing
- How to insulate pipes
- How to insulate a crawl space
- How to prevent a well from freezing
- How to thaw frozen pipes
- What to do if pipes burst
- Frozen pipe overview
Need a Charlotte Plumber this Winter?
Having problems with frozen pipes? Need a Charlotte plumber who can help you out? Give us a call at 704-846-5371. We know what to do and are happy to help, day or night!
Article Summary
Quick question & answer: Do I need to winterize in Charlotte?
Yes! Plumbing emergencies occur every winter because of frozen and cracked pipes in Charlotte homes. Temperatures drop below freezing for days at a time most winters in Charlotte, and homes are not well insulated against cold weather, so pipes crack and burst. Winterize your pipes!
