With freezing temperatures in the forecast, Tennessee American Water reminds everyone to prepare their home and pipes, providing handy tips to help avoid costly repairs and unwanted stress from frozen pipes.
"As temperatures drop, a little preparation goes a long way to protect pipes from freezing," said Tennessee American Water's Keith Hillard. “Locate your main shut-off valve, insulate exposed pipes, and stay alert to prevent costly damage. Taking these simple steps helps prevent frozen pipes, protect your home or business, and keep water flowing safely all season.”
To prepare now, customers should know how to shut off your water: Locate your main water shut-off valve. In many homes, it is located near the water meter or close to where the water pipe enters the home. Hang an I.D. tag on the valve so it can be found quickly during an emergency. Download a tag to print at amwater.com.
Also be sure to test your main water shut-off valve. Once located, test the shut-off valve by closing it. Once completely closed, check sinks and other water fixtures to ensure the shut-off valve is working properly.
- Ball valves generally only require a quarter turn to close.
- Gate valves are generally closed by turning the handle clockwise and should turn easily.
- If the valve does not close easily, it may need to be serviced.
Other important steps include checking sprinkler or irrigation systems to make sure everything is turned off and fully drained, eliminate sources of cold air near water lines (be sure to check for pipes in areas that might be prone to freezing, such as crawl spaces, unheated rooms, basements, garages, and exterior walls), fix any drafty windows, insulate walls around pipes and plug drafts around doors, and where pipes are exposed to cold, wrap them with insulation or heat tape (even fabric or newspaper can help).
When temperatures stay below freezing:
- Give pipes a helping hand: If pipes run through cabinets or vanities, open the doors to let warmer room temperatures flow in.
- Keep water moving through the pipes: Allow a small trickle of water to run. The cost of the extra water is typically lower than the cost of repairing a broken pipe.
If pipes freeze:
- Shut off the water immediately: Do not attempt to thaw pipes without turning off the main water shut-off valve.
- Thaw a frozen pipe by warming the air around it: Use a hair dryer, space heater or hot water. Do not leave space heaters unattended and avoid using kerosene heaters or open flames.
- Once pipes are thawed: Slowly turn the water back on. Check pipes and joints for any cracks or leaks potentially caused by freezing.
When you are away from home, consider the following:
- Set your thermostat at 55 degrees to prevent freezing.
- Have a friend, relative or neighbor regularly check the property to help ensure the heat is working and the pipes have not frozen.
- Consider purchasing a freeze alarm. The alarm will call a user-selected phone number if the inside temperature drops below 45 degrees.
Find more cold weather protection tips here (PDF).