Avoid frozen pipes.
Watch your water pressure this time of year because
the first sign of a frozen pipe is restricted water
flow. If you notice this, be sure to act quickly
and
call a professional.
Let cold water trickle
from your faucets, slightly smaller than a pencil’s
width, during the evening when the temperature is
the coldest. This helps prevent freezing as moving
water does not freeze.
Garden hoses can cause
major damage if not disconnected. During cold snaps,
if a garden hose is left connected, ice will form
and pressure will build up in the water lines inside
your home. Once this occurs, a water line leak or
break is common. This can cause severe damage to
the home. Disconnect garden hoses and drain outdoor
pipes to prevent damage during the winter.
After disconnecting
hoses, you should install an exterior, insulated
faucet jacket. This will protect your outdoor faucets,
as well as the connecting lines running into the
home, from freezing temperatures. Also, be sure to
utilize the shut-off valves located inside your home
to drain water from pipes leading to outdoor hose
bibs. These valves can typically be found under
sinks, in crawl spaces or basements, near your water
heater or your meter, but every home is different
and some homes may not be equipped with these valves.
Circulating warm air
helps keep pipes in the walls from freezing. Keep
your house temperature above 55 degrees to prevent
pipes from freezing and open cabinet doors under
sinks and faucets and near exterior walls to help
circulate warm air and keep pipes warmer.
Close crawl space
vents and garage doors, especially if your water
heater is in the garage.
Check to be sure that
snow is not restricting your water drainage. Watch
the area around your sump pump discharge line used
to avoid flooding indoors, as this line drains from
a basement to an outside area. If the drainage area
is blocked by snow or flowing into a puddle, freezing
could occur as well as water backing-up into the
house.
