BEFORE FREEZING WEATHER

• Remove garden hoses from outside faucets. Insulate outside faucets with Styrofoam cover, rags or paper.

• Cover vents around the foundation of your home.

• Eliminate sources of cold air near water lines by repairing broken windows, insulating walls, closing off crawl spaces and eliminating drafts near doors.

• Know the location of your water shut-off valve and test it regularly.

• Insulate pipes that may be vulnerable to the cold or have caused problems before.

• For outside water meters, keep the lid to the meter pit closed tightly and let any snow that falls cover it.

IN SUB-FREEZING WEATHER

• Drip outside faucets 24 hours a day (5 drops per minute) if temperatures are expected to be 28 degrees Fahrenheit or below for at least 4 hours.

• Open cabinet doors under sinks adjacent to outside walls and throughout the home, if you lose heat.

• If you have an attached garage, keep its doors shut if plumbing is routed through this unheated space.

• In sustained sub-freezing weather, let water drip slowly from inside faucets.

IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE HOME FOR SEVERAL DAYS

• Shut water off at the property owner’s cut-off valve.

• Drain all outside water faucets (leave outside faucets open) after cutting off the water.

• Leave home heating system on at a low setting.

• Open cabinet doors under sinks.

IF YOUR PIPES FREEZE

• Shut off the water immediately. Don’t attempt to thaw frozen pipes unless the water is shut off.

• Apply heat to the frozen pipe by warming the air around it, or by applying heat directly to the pipe. You can use a hair dryer, space heater, or hot water.

• Remember: When thawing things, slower is better. Pipes warmed too fast may break.

• Once the pipes have thawed, turn the water back on slowly and check for cracks and leaks.

• Renters and tenants may be responsible for personal property damage caused by broken water pipes during severe weather conditions.

KEEP YOUR PIPES FROM FREEZING