Colder temperatures are approaching, and part of keeping our homes warm and cozy is caring for our major appliances. Protecting your water softener for the winter is easy—as long as you take the right steps for maintaining a decent temperature. It’s a lot easier to prevent damage or flooding to homes and buildings in the colder months when they are occupied. So if you’re staying in town this season (with the heat on), your precautions are pretty simple. Follow these tips to help keep your water softener safe and sound:

Use Insulation

Bundle your unit up for the winter with plumbing sleeves and insulation. Local hardware or home improvement stores have insulation pieces that can fit around your entire softener, and additional pieces can protect the pipes leading to and from your softening system. Cut the insulation to fit your plumbing and attach it with zip ties to help prevent your softener from freezing.

Add Heat

Some water systems may need extra help staying warm. If your area is at risk of reaching subzero temperatures (not too common around Indy, but still possible) you’ll want to add a small space heater or other safe heat source near your water softener. Keep the temperature around your unit at 32 degrees Fahrenheit to help protect it during a freeze. This will help maintain a stable water temperature in the softener.

Check Daily

Keep your home snug all winter long by getting in the habit of daily water softener checks. Doing quick inspections early in the season can help prevent problems from becoming major issues later on. Look for any drips, leaks, or signs of freezing on particularly frosty days. If you spot any problems, call a service professional. If you’re going to be away from your home for the majority of the winter season, you’ll want to consider draining, or even disconnecting and storing your water softener. Of course, you want to make sure to do the job right. When water is left in your softener’s pipes it can freeze or create a backflow into the tank—leaving you with a possible flood and broken unit. Your local water softener experts can help you prep your system for the cold. Questions about inspecting, cleaning, or storing your water softener can get tricky, though. Be sure to call on your local soft water professionals if you have any concerns about how your system can stay warm—and dry—this season.