Parts of Central Indiana have experienced record, low temperatures recently, and although it’s warming up, you never know when a cold snap could come through! We compiled this handy checklist for you in case of burst pipes.
How to Prevent Your Pipes From Freezing:
- Be sure hoses are disconnected from the faucets, even if they have freeze-less faucets
- Close shutoff valve on outside faucets (if they have them)
- Close the vents to the crawl space during severe cold. The goal is to keep the crawl space above 32 degrees. Turning up the heat in the home also keeps a crawl space warm, even a low-watt light bulb left helps in small spaces
- Seal or caulk any cracks in the foundation
- Allow faucets on outside walls to continue a slight drip. Moving water takes longer to freeze. Leave cabinet doors open so air can circulate
- Keep the garage door closed
- If you are headed out, you can lower the thermostat but keep it above 55 degrees
- Inform the entire family where the house shut off valve is located
What to Do If Your Pipes Freeze:
- Leave the affected faucets on
- Add a small amount of heat to the affected area. Could use a blow dryer, heating pad, or space heater (but don’t leave it unattended)
- Open cabinet doors, and turn up the heat in your home
What to Do If a Water Line Bursts:
- Turn the water off at the main house shut-off valve
- Turn on all the faucets in the house. This is called draining the house down. The more open faucets for the water to run through, the less time the water will flow through the broken pipe
- Once the water is contained, call us right away so we can get your water back on
Don’t hesitate to call us at 317-872-3535 if you have a burst pipe or any other plumbing emergency!