How to keep pipes from freezing

Teach: How to keep pipes from freezing

What to say

Keep pipes from freezing by keeping the heat on, at least in the mid fifties even when you are away, opening cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls, letting a faucet on an outside wall drip during a hard freeze, and insulating pipes in unheated spaces like crawl spaces and garages. If a faucet gives only a trickle, the pipe may be frozen: shut off the water before it thaws.

What to show, in order

1. Find the main water shutoff before winter, and make sure it turns.
2. Wrap exposed pipes in crawl spaces, garages and attics with foam pipe insulation.
3. Disconnect garden hoses and close the inside valves to outdoor faucets.
4. During a hard freeze, open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls to let warm air in.
5. Let the cold water drip slowly from a faucet on an outside wall on the coldest nights.
6. Keep the thermostat no lower than the mid fifties, day and night, even when you travel.
7. If a faucet only trickles, shut off the main water, open that faucet and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or warm towels, keeping the dryer and its cord away from any dripping or standing water.
8. Never thaw a pipe with an open flame.

When to stop and call a professional

• A pipe has burst, you cannot find or reach the frozen section, or water is leaking inside a wall or ceiling: shut off the main water and call a plumber.
• Water is near electrical outlets, the panel or appliances: stay clear, shut off power at the breaker only if you can reach it from a dry spot, and call for help.

The check question

Ask: A faucet gives only a trickle on a freezing morning. What first? Answer: Shut off the main water

From EveryManKnows. General information, not professional advice.