With the extreme cold temperatures expected in our area over the next week or so, the risk to your home’s plumbing increases significantly. Residents need to be vigilant, as freezing can occur in two distinct areas, each with different consequences:
- The Water Service Line: This is the main pipe bringing water from the street, under your lawn, and into your home. If this freezes, you lose water service to the entire house.
- Individual Supply Lines: These are the smaller pipes feeding specific faucets. If these run through exterior walls, unheated garages, or poorly insulated cabinets, they can freeze locally, cutting off water to a single sink, washbasin, bath, or shower.
Best Practices During a Deep Freeze
To protect your property, we recommend a mix of preparation and active prevention:
- Keep the heat steady: Resist the urge to “set back” your thermostat at night or when you leave for work. Keeping the indoor temperature consistent day and night helps heat penetrate into walls and basements where pipes are located.
- Circulate warm air: Open your bathroom vanity and kitchen cupboard doors. This allows the warm air from your room to circulate around the pipes hidden underneath sinks. This is especially important for plumbing located on exterior walls.
- Seal the envelope: If you haven’t already, remove and drain outdoor hoses and shut off exterior taps. Inside, check for cold drafts near sill plates (where the house meets the foundation) or in the basement and seal them. Insulate any exposed pipes in unheated areas like garages.
The “Running Water” Strategy
The most effective way to prevent the main service line from freezing is to keep the water moving.
- Run a stream: A continuous very small stream of cold water run from a faucet is enough to prevent the freezing of the pipe.
- Choose the right spot: Ideally, use the faucet at the lowest point in your home (like a basement laundry tub) or the one most vulnerable to cold drafts.
Important Safety Check
Before you walk away from a running tap, ensure the drain is completely clear. While it is unlikely, you must verify that the constant trickle flows freely and will not back up and overflow the sink or tub over time.
If You Are Away
If you are out of town, you must have a friend or neighbor check inside your home daily. A freeze can happen quickly; caught early, it is an inconvenience, but caught late, it can become a flood.
What to Do If You Lose Water
If water stops flowing to your home entirely, your service line is likely frozen. Please note that the private portion of the water service line, which is the responsibility of the homeowner, is usually the culprit in these situations. Contact a licensed plumber immediately to assess the situation and thaw the pipe.
