CLINTON, Connecticut — With freezing cold temperatures on the way for the end of the week, Connecticut Water has issued a frozen pipe alert for homeowners.
Forecasters are predicting very low temperatures and wind chills for Friday night into Saturday. Connecticut Water said homeowners can take steps to prevent damage caused by freezing water pipes inside and outside the home.
Since pipes bringing water into the home are usually located near exterior walls they are vulnerable to freezing during extreme cold and windy conditions. When water freezes it can restrict or completely block the flow of water to the rest of the home, damage pipes and the meter, and flood basements when the ice thaws and water gushes in through split pipes and meters.
"Property owners are responsible for the maintenance of the water service line from the curb to the house, as well as for any in-home piping, including meter repair costs," said Connecticut Water in a release. "We encourage customers and private well owners to take the following precautions to reduce the chances that pipes will freeze or burst and water meters will be damaged.
Connecticut Water offered these eight tips:
- Locate the shutoff valve and be sure it is working properly in case of an emergency.
- Protect outside pipes and faucets. If there is a separate shutoff valve for the outside faucet, turn it off and drain the lines. If not, wrap and insulate outside faucets or hose bibs.
- Check for broken windows or damaged skirting that might cause freezing to your pipes or meter in your basement or crawl space.
- Caulk around pipes where they enter the house. Seal cracks or holes in windows, walls or doors near the meter or pipes.
- Make sure room heat can circulate freely around the meter and water pipes.
- Leave cabinet doors open where there is plumbing when the temperature is below freezing to allow more heat to the pipes.
- Wrap interior pipes with insulation, particularly in unheated areas like the garage, basement or crawl space.
- Homeowners that have had problems in the past with pipes freezing may want to let the water run at a slow rate in extreme cold. The extra cost in your water bill will be minimal compared to the cost of repairing a broken pipe. Homeowners can use a bucket or container to catch the dripping water and reuse it for another purpose.
For more information, visit ctwater.com. Customers can also request a frozen pipes fact sheet or report emergencies 24/7 by phone at: 800-286-5700.
Doug Stewart is the Senior Digital Content Producer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dstewart@fox61.com.
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