Protect your pipes Monday night

Precautions to Avoid Frozen Pipes

-   Seal all openings where cold air can get at unprotected water pipes. It’s especially important to keep cold wind away from pipes, which speeds up the freezing process.

- Cover pipes with foam or fiberglass insulation sleeves, the thicker the better.  Install heating tapes or cables on vulnerable pipes. Be sure to follow manufacturer instructions carefully to avoid starting a fire.

- Leave cabinet doors open under the kitchen and bathroom sinks to allow warmer room air to circulate around pipes.

- Let faucets drip slowly to keep water flowing through pipes that are vulnerable to freezing.  Ice might still form in the pipes, but an open faucet allows water to escape before the pressure builds to where a pipe can burst. If the dripping stops, it may mean that ice is blocking the pipe; keep the faucet open, since the pipe still needs pressure relief.


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