01/22/2026
Home tips! Maintaining your home is one of the most important things you can do! Be prepared this winter by taking some steps to keep your home safe:
Steps to take before winter:
• Locate pipes vulnerable to freezing. Check areas that tend to be unheated such as crawlspaces, garages, exterior walls, and attics.
• Protect your pipes. Insulate water pipes in areas exposed to cold temperatures. Both hot and cold-water pipes in these locations should be insulated. Foam tubing or “sleeves” in different thicknesses and pipe widths can be found at your local hardware store.
• Know how to shut off your water. Locate your home’s main water shut-off valve by checking for it along the outside wall near the water meter, the inside wall access panel, or in the basement. Identify if you have a ball or gate valve and know how to turn it off.
• Check irrigation systems. Disable sprinklers for the season and fully drain the system.
• Safeguard exterior faucets. Disconnect hoses ahead of cold weather and inspect for leaks that may need to be repaired. Purchase insulated slip-on covers to secure to outside faucets to prevent any remaining water from freezing.
What to do if temperatures reach freezing:
• Let faucets drip. Keep water moving through the pipes by allowing a small amount of water to run through both the hot and cold faucets.
• Heat your home. To ensure the air around your pipes is warm enough to prevent freezing, set your thermostat to a minimum of 65 degrees (day and night) – the warmer you can go the better.
• Keep pipes warm. Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow heat from rooms to circulate around the plumbing.
In the event your pipes freeze:
• Turn off the water. Immediately shut off the water to your home if your pipes are frozen. You and your family should know where the main water shut-off valve is located and how to turn it off. Do this before attempting to thaw pipes or clean up any mess.
• Thaw pipes with warm air. If you discover your pipes are frozen, take action to thaw them right away. You can warm them using a hair dryer or space heater or call a plumber to help.
• Turn the water back on. After pipes are thawed, turn the water back on slowly to check for cracks or leaks that may have been caused by freezing. A licensed plumber will need to complete the repairs if there is pipe damage.
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