Living in the south, we don’t usually have to worry about frozen pipes. But when freezing temperatures come, you need to be ready. Well, unless you want your pipes to burst, leading to thousands of dollars in water damage.
Follow these tips to keep your pipes from freezing:
- Make sure you shut off water to the outside hose bibbs (spigots). If there is not a shut off you’ll want to insulate (wrap) the piping and hose bibbs. Remove all hoses attached outside faucets and store for the winter.
- Use heat tape to insulate piping exposed to low temperatures in attics, garages, and outside walls.
- If temperatures fall below 25 degrees (F) then leave all faucets (hot and cold) dripping very slowly.
- If residence is unoccupied and unheated, the main waterline should be turned off and all faucets opened to allow pipes to drain.
- Set the automatic irrigation controller to the “Off” setting. Turn off water to the irrigation system at the stop and drain valve. Many homes have separate stop and drain valves for the outdoor water supply. Make sure the different valves are labeled so they are easy to identify.
If your pipes do freeze and you’re in the Atlanta metro area, give us a call at (770) 421-8400 – we’ll be ready and waiting to help!
