Over the next several days, as Coffee County experiences unusually cold temperatures, here are a few tips that improve your chances of protecting your plumbing. These aren’t fool-proof but they will go a long way toward protecting the integrity of your pipes during this winter storm.
1. COVER YOUR EXPOSED OUTSIDE PIPES WITH BLANKET OR STRUCTURES. Remember this only helps protect the pipes from wind. When the temperature drops below 32 degrees, the water inside the pipes may still freeze even though you had pipes covered. Do not have a false sense of security that simply covering your pipes with prevent freezing pipes.
2. LEAVE ALL OUTSIDE FAUCETS OR HOSE BIBS RUNNING W/ A STEADY FLOW OF WATER. Not just a drip. Typically running water will not freeze. We caution you against leaving water running inside your home in the event that you have a slow drain or are on a septic tank. Leaving water in the home running could cause a back up in the sewer drains.
3. LEAVE THE HEAT ON IN YOUR HOME EVEN IF IT’S UNOCCUPIED THROUGH THIS EVENT. Leave lavatory kitchen sinks with cabinets open so that the warm air can circulate under the sink, especially if that cabinet is on the north side of your home.
4. If you have a WELL HOUSE with the light inside, remember to LEAVE THE LIGHT ON. This can raise the temperature a few degrees in the well house.
5. If your pipes do freeze, don’t call a plumber right away. Nothing can be done until PIPES THAW, only then will you know if anything was damaged.