It's COLD - Protect Your Home's Pipes!

Tis the season! The other morning I noticed a strange sound. Water was running in my house, but none of the faucets were open. After a quick inspection I found the problem. An addition to my house had been plumbed for water, but the outlets were never installed. The pipe under our sun room had ruptured from the terrible cold that has been hitting our area lately. I was lucky; a shut-off valve had been installed about two feet before the break. Once I got it closed, the problem was over.

This little incident prompted me to remember the key to not having pipes break in the winter, leave your faucets running when the temperature remains below freezing over-night. Just a little trickle of water is enough to avoid catastrophe. Trust me, the few cents that the extra water will cost you is much less than the cost of replacing a broken pipe! Insulating all of your pipes will also help protect them and will save you money with your water heater bill. But, understand that with sustained freezing temperatures, no amount of insulation will stop a pipe from breaking. So keep the water flowing!