Brr, it’s cold outside! You’re staying warm, but what about your water pipes? When it gets this cold, even pipes you think are safe may freeze and burst, spilling hundreds of gallons of water inside your home and causing a big headache.

How To Avoid The Freeze

Wrap, insulate or run heat tape for all pipes in uninsulated spaces.

Make sure heat is turned on, even in unused rooms.

Drain all outside hoses and store inside if possible.

During the cold snap, open your faucets and let water drip. Just a trickle can help stop pipes from freezing.

Signs A Pipe Has Frozen

No water comes out of your faucets.

Just a trickle of water comes out when the faucet is on.

Defrosting a Frozen Pipe

Open the closest faucet to the frozen area.

Start the defrosting process as close to the open faucet as you can.

Use a hair dryer or hot towels to defrost. A hair dryer can be plugged in and directed onto the pipe until it’s unfrozen. To use a hot towel, first cover the pipe with the dry towel, and then pour hot water over the pipe until it un-freezes.

Gradually work your way back from the faucet until everything is defrosted and water flows freely again.

Do not use a propane torch. Propane torches can damage your pipes and cause a fire hazard if not used properly. Leave this technique to the professionals.

​Dealing With The Damage

When a pipe remains frozen for too long, it will burst. But just because the pipe was frozen doesn’t necessarily stop it from leaking after it bursts.

The damage from a burst pipe is often hidden behind walls or under floorboards, and fast action is essential to keep mold from growing.

Stay safe, stay warm, and watch out for frozen pipes!


--Content used in this post was originally published by Mammoth Restoration & Construction and is used with their permission.

One Snowfall, Many Hazards

Heavy snow can really create havoc on the roads when it falls, but it does more than just make driving difficult. It can create slippery walkways, leading to injury. It can block access to necessary goods and services. It can potentially cause motorists to become stranded in cold weather. And in some cases, it can even cause stress and strain on the roof of your home, leading to leaks and structural problems.

Prepare Before The Snow Hits

• Build your winter weather kit. It’s never too late to get started – even right before the first big storm, you can still stock up.
• Get the survival essentials. Travel is often hard when the biggest storms hit, and heavy snow can easily knock out power. Stock up on nonperishable foods that don’t need to be cooked (think canned goods) and bottled water.

Once The Storm Hits, be Snow Smart

• When the storm arrives, stay put if you can. The best way to drive safely in a big snowstorm is to avoid it entirely. Stay with your supplies, sheltered inside a building, unless absolutely necessary.
• Dress for the occasion. If you do need to go outside, make sure you wear warm clothes. Just throwing on a bunch of layers isn’t necessarily enough: waterproof and windproof materials make a big difference when you’re out in a windy, wet snow storm.
• If you intend to remove snow from your roof, be safe. Removing the weight of heavy snow from your roof can help prevent a possible roof collapse, but only if you are careful to remove that snow in a safe manner. Never step out onto a roof covered in snow; instead, use a snow removal roof rake.
• Heat your home safely. Read and understand all instructions for heaters and other sources of warmth. Make sure that no heat source is ever too close to anything flammable. Never leave a fireplace or other open flame burning unattended.

Winter weather can be unpredictable, but by taking steps to prepare yourself and your home, you can be well equipped to handle anything that mother nature can throw at you.