Your Water Pipes - Cold Weather Best Practices
Water
pipes located in a crawlspace or on an outside wall are subjected to
sub-freezing temperatures, as are pipes located in a garage or any other
unheated building. To help combat this problem and reduce the probability of
your pipes freezing and bursting, the County’s Bureau of Utilities recommends the
following:
- Wrap or insulate exposed pipes
susceptible to low temperatures.
- Utilize other devices, such as heat
tape, to help keep pipes from freezing.
- Leave hot and cold
water dripping the thickness of a pencil on nights when temperatures dip
below 15°F.
- Some pipes, such as those located in
cabinets or vanities, and situated against an outside wall may be
insulated but may be likely to freeze. It is a good practice to
leave cabinet doors open to allow heat
in the room to keep pipes warm and prevent freezing.
The
Bureau also suggests these simple steps to avoid a water leak and damage:
- Turn off inside water valve for any
hose connections and open the outside hose bib to drain the line.
- Know where your
home’s inside main water
cutoff
valve is and check that it is functional by hand. In case of a leak this
valve will turn off water flow coming into the home and thereby limit
damage.
- Seal any air leaks that allow icy
blasts to reach pipes.
- For homes with crawl spaces, close outside
air vents located in the foundation wall during extremely cold
temperatures to keep exposed plumbi