Follow these tips to protect pipes from cold

With a chance of snow in the air and temperatures dipping into the 20s over the next week, people should take extra precautions.

Here are some tips to help prevent your pipes from freezing during severely cold weather.

Inside Your Home:

•฀ Keep฀ the฀ Heat฀ On:฀ Maintain a consistent temperature in your home, even if you’re away. Set your thermostat no lower than 55°F.

•฀ Open฀ Cabinet฀ Doors:฀ Allow warm air to circulate around pipes under sinks, especially those located against exterior walls.

•฀ Let฀ Faucets฀ Drip:฀ Allow a slow drip of cold water from faucets served by exposed pipes to keep water moving and reduce freezing risks.

•฀ Seal฀ Gaps:฀ Insulate cracks and openings around doors, windows, and the foundation to keep cold air from entering.

Outside Your Home:

•฀Disconnect฀Hoses:฀Remove outdoor garden hoses and shut off the water supply to exterior faucets. Cover฀outdoor฀spigots฀with฀ insulated covers.

•฀ Insulate฀ Pipes:฀ Use฀ pipe insulation or heat tape for pipes in unheated areas, such as garages, basements, and crawl spaces.

Long-Term฀Prevention:

•฀ Seal฀ Drafts:฀Add฀ insulation to walls, attics, and crawl spaces to maintain warmer temperatures near your pipes.

•฀Locate฀Shut-Off฀Valve:฀ Know฀ where฀ your฀ home’s฀ main water shut-off valve is and how to use it in case of a burst pipe.

If Pipes Freeze:

•฀Turn฀off฀the฀water฀supply immediately.

•฀ Use฀ a฀ hair฀ dryer,฀ heating pad, or warm towels to thaw frozen pipes. Never use an open flame or torch.

•฀If฀you฀cannot฀thaw฀the฀ pipe or if it bursts, call a licensed plumber immediately.

Taking these precautions can save you from costly repairs and water damage. Stay warm and safe.