As winter approaches and temperatures drop, Iowa American Water is reminding customers to prepare their homes and pipes to avoid costly repairs and stress from frozen pipes.
“It’s important that customers take steps to protect their pipes from freezing as winter approaches and temperatures steadily drop,” said Tony Loete, Iowa American Water vice president of operations. “Taking time to prepare and regularly checking on your pipes during extremely cold days will help ensure you and your loved ones stay safe and comfortable and avoid unplanned plumbing repairs and property damage.”
Iowa American Water offers these tips to help customers prepare:
Before freezing temperatures
- Locate and test your main water shut-off valve. This is often near the water meter or where the pipe enters the home. Hang an I.D. tag on the valve for quick identification during an emergency.
- Check sprinkler or irrigation systems to make sure they are turned off and fully drained.
- Eliminate sources of cold air near water lines in areas such as crawl spaces, unheated rooms, basements, garages and exterior walls.
- Fix drafty windows, insulate walls around pipes and plug drafts around doors.
- Protect exposed pipes by wrapping them with insulation, heat tape, or even fabric or newspaper.
When temperatures stay below freezing
- Open cabinet or vanity doors under sinks to allow warmer room air to circulate around pipes.
- Keep water moving through the pipes by allowing a small trickle of water to run. The company notes the cost of extra water is typically less than the cost of repairing a broken pipe.
If pipes freeze
- Shut off the water immediately at the main shut-off valve before attempting to thaw the pipes.
- Thaw a frozen pipe by warming the air around it. Use a hair dryer, space heater or hot water. Do not leave space heaters unattended, and avoid using kerosene heaters or open flames.
- Once pipes are thawed, slowly turn the water back on. Check pipes and joints for any cracks or leaks.
When away from home
- Set the thermostat at 55 degrees to prevent freezing.
- Have a friend, relative or neighbor regularly check the property to ensure the heat is working and pipes have not frozen.
- Consider a freeze alarm that calls a user-selected phone number if the inside temperature drops below 45 degrees.
Iowa American Water also reminds customers that while checking their shut-off valve, they can check their incoming water service line material. The company is working with customers to identify and eventually replace lines made of lead or galvanized steel.
More information and cold weather protection tips are available on the Iowa American Water website.
