Tips for Keeping Your Pipes from Freezing
Check the temperature in any areas you think are at risk of falling below 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Pay particular attention to basements, mechanical rooms, maintenance closets, and other less frequently used spaces.
Keep overnight interior temperature to no lower than 55 degrees.
Open doors and cabinets (including under sinks and closets) where pipes are located.
Keep doors slightly ajar between unheated and heated rooms. (Do NOT prop open fire doors.)
Do you know where the water shutoff valve is located?
Take a few minutes before you have a problem to know where your water shutoff valve is located and that it is accessible.
What to do if you have a frozen pipe
Turn off the water supply at the main shutoff as quickly as possible.
Inspect the pipes to determine if any have burst, including pipes in the basement and out-of-the-way areas. Inspect your fire sprinkler system, too.
Locate all of the cracks (if any) before pipes thaw and make note of their location.
If a pipe has burst, be sure to immediately turn off electrical power and unplug all electrical items in the affected area. Move vulnerable furniture, equipment, and documents.
Open a faucet on the affected pipe so water can flow as it is melting.
Open another faucet to relieve any pressure in the pipes.
If there are not any cracks, you may thaw the pipes with a hair dryer, towels soaked in hot water, and/or allow them to thaw on their own.
Never attempt to thaw a frozen pipe with a blowtorch or any type of open flame.
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