City of Kenton Offers Tips to Protect Water Lines in Extreme Cold Temperatures

With the polar vortex coming next week, the city of Kenton would like to share a few tips to help protect your water lines.

1. Protect Against Frozen Pipes – During sub zero weather open the door below your sink to allow warm air to reach your pipes. If you have had pipes freeze in the past, keep a thin stream of water running from the faucet highest in the home (the width of a pencil lead). This will increase your water bill, but will help prevent your pipes from freezing. You could place a bucket below the water and collect the water for another use (flushing toilets?).
2. Eliminate Drafts – close off crawl spaces, vents and doors, especially under mobile homes, from the outside. Repair broken or cracked windows. Check insulation and caulking around doors and windows. Keep attached garage doors closed.
3. Insulate Pipes – Wrap pipes in unheated parts of your home and business. Again, mobile homes are more susceptible. Pipes close to exterior walls or in unheated basements can be wrapped with pieces of insulation. Don’t overlook pipes near windows.
4. Locate Shut Off Valves – If the pipes freeze and burst, knowing where the shutoff valve is located saves valuable time.
5. Thermostat – Keep your thermostat set above 65 degrees when leaving your home or business for several days.
6. Protect Your Water Meter – If your meter is located in a meter pit, make sure the lid is on tight and is not broken. When sub-zero temperatures hit, allowing cold air into the pit will freeze the meter.
7. Hose Bibs – Drain your outside hose bibs and turn off the water supply to these areas. Detach any hoses connected.
8. Winterize Unheated or Unused Buildings – Significant property damage can occur before a burst water pipe is discovered in an unused building.