Are you prepared?

Causes:

-Low Temperatures & Poor Insulation

-Wind creating even more of a draft than usual, causing frigid air to freeze the pipes

How to Prevent:

-Set the thermostat to at least 55º

– Properly insulate the areas where the pipes are Ex: Crawlspaces, basement windows, hatchway areas

-Apply foam pipe insulation to keep your pipes safe from the cold drafts

-Look for areas that are cracked that lead to the outside, properly seal those to ensure that cold air is not getting in

-Let the faucets drip a little hot water, the little bit of hot water flowing through the pipes could potentially stop them from freezing

-Shut off and drain all outside faucets as they are the most susceptible to the cold air

-If it is really cold, open the cabinet doors in areas where pipes are not insulated to allow heat in

What if they do freeze?

–Turn the thermostat up

-Turn the water off at the main supply

-Apply Heat tape to the frozen pipes if you can identify them

-Place a space heater by the frozen pipes

-DO NOT use an open flame to try to warm the pipe up

-If you cannot find the frozen pipes, or feel as if there are more frozen then you think, call DRS to have someone come out and properly find all of the frozen pipes

What if the pipe breaks?

-Turn off the water right away, as a precaution, it is smart to have everyone on the property know where the water shut off valve is beforehand

-Call in a plumber to repair the broken pipe

-Response time to the damage is important, so don’t wait, call DRS right away to come out and take care of the water damage. DRS can perform the water mitigation and the repairs, so instead of having to work with two different contractors, you can stick to one you know and trust!