It's not too late to protect your pipes from the frigid temps

As bitter cold settles in across the area, there are steps you can take to prevent your home's water pipes from freezing. Here are some simple steps you can take right now to help protect your pipes:

• Insulate pipes in unheated areas like crawl spaces, unheated garages, and attics.
• Pay special attention to pipes near basement windows and make sure they're well-insulated
• Leave some heat on in unused areas of your home.
• If you go out of town for a few days, keep your thermostat on at least 55 degrees and open any cabinets where sink plumbing is against an outside wall.
• If you’re leaving town for an extended period, have your home and pipes professionally winterized.

And it’s always a good idea to find the master shut off valve that turns the off water to your entire home – it’s usually in the basement – and make sure everyone in the family knows where it is in case a pipe does freeze and burst.

Burst water pipes can be a nightmare. Take a look at video taken inside a vacant Madison home where pipes on the second floor burst last winter. The mess wasn’t found until spring, when a neighbor noticed water pouring out under a patio door.

Every winter, our inspectors spot vacant homes where pipes have burst and caused major damage. If you know that a home in your neighborhood is vacant, keep an eye out for water leaking from under doors, or frost building up on the insides of windows. Call Madison Water Utility if you suspect problems and don’t know where to locate the property’s owner. (608) 266-4661 (dispatch)

Links

• Frozen on the inside: Indoor flooding season is here