Water Damage Caused by Frozen Pipes

1/16/2021 (Permalink)

How to Prevent Water Damage Caused by Frozen Pipes

This is the time of year for problems to arise from frozen pipes.  We’ve been very fortunate to have so many days above freezing this winter season; however, as most St. Louisans know, that can change very quickly.   It’s not too late to prepare your home for the cold weather.  According to the American Red Cross, here are some helpful tips to protect your pipes from the cold weather.

• Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.

• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.

• When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.

• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.

• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

If your pipes have ALREADY frozen over…

• Locate the water main shut-off valve.
• Open the faucet so thawing water can flow freely and relieve pressure.
• Warm the pipes with a space heater or hairdryer.

If you find your leaks are causing water damage, give us a call right away!

SERVPRO of South Chesterfield/Wildwood

636-537-5400