Avoiding Frozen Pipes

If you live in an area where the temperatures drop to chilling weather, you’ve probably encountered the problem of frozen pipes. If you want to avoid frozen pipes for the next winter season, try these suggestions:

• If you leave your outdoor hoses connected, freezing water may expand and cause fixtures inside your home to break from freezing water. Disconnect the outdoor hoses to be safe.

• Insulate your exposed pipes in colder areas of the home, like basements and crawlspaces. Heat tape or thermostat controlled heat cable around your pipes can keep your pipes from freezing.

• If you have outdoor faucets, turn off the interior shut-off valve to those faucets. Don’t forget to drain out any water which could form ice.