Secure outdoor hoses, valves and faucets. Disconnect garden hoses and, if possible, use an indoor valve to shut off and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets. If there is no separate valve for outdoor faucets, wrap the faucets (hose bibs) with a faucet cover or with rags or newspaper covered in plastic.
Let water drip. A trickle the size of a pencil tip might be all it takes to keep your pipes from freezing. Let water drip overnight when temperatures are cold, preferably from a faucet on an outside wall.
Adjust the thermostat. Keeping your thermostat set at the same temperature during both day and night also reduces the risk of frozen pipes.
Open cabinet doors. This allows heat to get to un-insulated pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls.
Locate shut-off valve. Make sure you know where your home’s main shut-off valve is and that it is working condition prior to the freeze.
Traveling away from home or own an unoccupied building:
- Leave the heat on in you home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.
- Shut off and drain the water system in your home or unoccupied building and leave faucets open.
Protect Backflow Preventers. These are typically located behind water meters, are above ground and subjected to the effects of freezing weather that other exposed water pipes face. Customers with backflow preventers should protect them by heat, insulation or both; or as otherwise recommended by the manufacturer.
