NEWBERRY COUNTY — When temperatures drop below freezing, residents should be aware that the pipes within their home run the risk of freezing and possibly bursting.
So what can you do to prevent your pipes from bursting?
Brent Richardson, manager of the Newberry County Water and Sewer Authority, said the most important thing to do is to insulate.
“Insulate any exposed piping, like an outside faucet, any type of exposed piping. Also, know where your water cut off is in the event you have a busted water line,” he said. “Typically, this is located on the customer side of the water read box.”
Richardson said the best way to insulate pipes is to get insulating covers to put on outside faucets. For outside faucets, there are products such as Nylon-Insulated Fabric Faucet Sock and for pipes, residents can buy Foam Plumbing Tubular Pipe Insulation.
Both products can be found at almost any hardware store.
“Folks who do not have city or county water, it is important to plug in a heat lamp in the well house to prevent freezing,” Richardson said.
Redcross.org also recommends that you let cold water drip from a faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe, even at a trickle, helps prevent pipes from freezing. They also recommend removing, draining and storing hoses used outdoors. If you have a pool or a water sprinkler system they suggest draining them.
If your pipes do become frozen (a good indicator would be turning on your water and it only a trickle comes out) Richardson says to let nature take its course.
“I would not recommend using a heat source to thaw out pipes, just wait until they thaw out naturally,” he said. “Having moving water will help that process, so I suggest leaving a sink on to know when they have thawed.”
Richardson said throwing something hot on the pipes to speed up the process may cause the pipes to burst, or worse.
According to redcross.org, water expands as it freezes and this expansion puts tremendous pressure on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes. No matter the strength of a container, expanding water can cause pipes to break.
Pipes that freeze most frequently are those that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor faucets, swimming pool supply lines, water sprinkler lines and water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages or kitchen cabinets.
Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation are also subject to freezing.