As temperatures remain well below freezing in our area, Aqua Illinois Water Company has announced some tips for preventing frozen pipes. ‘’Each winter, we receive many calls from customers who are dealing with pipes that have frozen or ruptured due to extreme winter temperatures,’’ says Aqua Illinois President Craig Blanchette.
He recommends customers take the following steps:
- For interior plumbing located on an outside wall – such as a kitchen sink, install heat tape to the pipes beneath the sink. Or, if no small children are in the house, open cabinet doors beneath the sink to allow the warm air in the home to reach the pipes.
- When temperatures remain near 10-degrees, customers may want to leave a very thin stream of water running continuously from at least one tap in their home – preferably the one furthest from the meter. The additional cost of water is cheaper than the cost of repairing ruptured pipes.
- If a customer can locate the frozen area of a pipe, open a spigot and use a hand-held hair dryer (blow dryer) or heat tape to thaw the area. If this does not resolve the issue, contact a licensed plumber.
Aqua also suggests that preventive steps be taken each year before bitterly cold weather arrives.
- Make sure to have a supply of heat tape and pipe insulation, as well as a portable space heater and hair dryer on hand.
- Locate and visibly mark the home’s master water valve. In the event a pipe does break, use this valve to turn off water to the home.
- Make sure lids on outdoor meter pits are not broken or missing.
- Shut off and drain any outside faucets – including those used for lawn sprinkling systems.
- Prevent drafts in unheated areas, such as crawl spaces or basements.
Aqua Illinois provides water and wastewater service to more than 62,000 homes and businesses in 12 Illinois counties – including Vermilion and Champaign.
