Maybe you've seen the pumpkins and wreaths adorning the front aisles of your neighborhood Jewel. It seems like they creep on earlier and earlier every year: The orange and black of Halloween and the earth tones for Thanksgiving. Soon we'll be swaddled in the reds, greens, blues, and golds that hint at the holiday season.

While the team at Combat isn't about to start caroling JUST yet, we do want to help you prepare your plumbing for the chilly fall and winter months ahead. Here are 10 things you should do before the Red Oak snow kicks in: 

1. Give Your Outdoor Plumbing a Blanket

Wrapping your outdoor pipes in heat tape can help prevent freezing and bursting. And take care of your entire outdoor system, including cleaning out your gutters before falling leaves and snow can get trapped and cause leaking and water damage. 

2. Prepare Your Sump Pump

There are many benefits to owning a sump pump, a device that removes excess water from basements and crawlspaces by piping it through your home's wastewater system. In order to keep your sump pump in top condition during the soggy winter months, it's important to maintain the appliance by inspecting and cleaning it out before winter settles in. Like many plumbing features, sump pumps can freeze. And, when these stop working, it can mean major damage during a sudden thaw. Take care of your system now to prevent disaster later in the season. 

3. Give Your Drains an Annual Checkup

We've written about this before, but it's wise to give your drains a checkup before your home experiences more use during the colder months. And have the right tools on hand to keep your drains flowing during the months ahead - after all, you won't want to have to go out into the cold! 

4. Repair Your Leaky Faucets 

While leaving your water running slightly can help prevent frozen and burst pipes, an unmonitored leak can lead to a dangerous freeze when temperatures drop, particularly in colder spaces in your house, like utility rooms or basements. And remember - a dripping pipe will waste gallons of water (and plenty of your hard-earned cash) if left alone too long. 

5. Pack Up Your Hoses

To go back outside for a second, remember that any summertime water left behind in hoses can freeze and expand, causing their attached faucets to burst. Any damage or leaks will directly impact your indoor plumbing. Avoid big repair bills by unfastening all of your hoses before the cold hits and storing them in a safe place, like a shed or garage.

6. Take Care of Your Outdoor Faucets

Just like your indoor faucets, a leaky outdoor faucet, spigot, or bib can wreak havoc on your plumbing in the event of freezing. Because these faucets are often directly exposed to the elements, take an especially hard look for any leaks or damage before, during, and after the cold season. 

7. Shut Down Your Shut-Off Valves

The best way to keep your outdoor taps safe? Any indoor shut-off valves that lead to outdoor faucets need to be closed and drained to curb the risk of freezing and damage. 

8. Insulate Your Indoor Pipes

Make sure that your pipes inside your home are well-insulated. Exposed pipes in colder areas of the home, like the basement, need to be kept at a temperature above freezing, lest they freeze themselves (and subsequently burst or leak when they thaw in the springtime). And you'll be killing two birds with one stone: Insulating your pipes will also help you conserve hot water and shave dollars off of your bill each month. 

9. Drain Your Water Heater

This is particularly in areas like Red Oak that have hard water, which can easily leave sediment that turns into buildup or encourages rust, all of which your water heater at a rapid pace. Drain or flush your heater during the fall season so you can enjoy hot showers all winter long. 

10. Have a Good Plumber On Speed Dial 

Hiring a great plumber is easy, but it requires a little bit of know-how. This, of course, is where Combat Plumbing would love to come in! Drop us a line or sign up for our newsletter if you need some extra help preparing your plumbing for the Red Oak winter ahead.