Protecting Pipes from Cold Winter Weather
By: Hayley Mason
Updated: December 24, 2012
WEST VIRGINIA- With one of the coldest winter months around the corner, you want to make sure the pipes in your home are taken care of.
West Virginia American Water also offers the following tips:
Before cold weather sets in
- Know what areas of your home, such as basements, crawl spaces, unheated rooms and outside walls, are most vulnerable to freezing.
- Eliminate sources of cold air near water lines by repairing broken windows, insulating walls, closing off crawl spaces and eliminating drafts near doors.
- Make sure you and everyone in your household know the location of your main water shut-off valve. If a pipe freezes or bursts, shut the water off immediately.
- Wrap exposed pipes with insulation or heat tape.
- Make sure the lid to your outdoor meter pit is closed tightly and let any snow that falls cover it to serve as insulation.
- Close the valves supplying your outside faucets and drain the pipes or have frost-free spigots installed.
- Turn off and drain irrigation systems.
When temperatures fall below zero
- Allow a small trickle of water to run overnight to keep pipes from freezing. The cost of the extra water is low compared to the cost to repair a broken pipe.
- Open cabinet doors to expose pipes to warmer room temperatures.
If your pipes freeze
- Shut off the water immediately. Don't attempt to thaw frozen pipes unless the water is shut off. Freezing can often cause unseen cracks in pipes or joints.
- Apply heat to the frozen pipe by warming the air around it or by applying heat directly to a pipe. Use a hair dryer, space heater or hot water. Do not leave space heaters unattended, and avoid using kerosene heaters or open flames.
- Once the pipes have thawed, turn the water back on slowly and check for cracks and leaks.
You can find additional winter weather tips at www.westvirginiaamwater.com
under the Customer Service tab by selecting the Customer Communications link.
