Since the Chicago area is once again being hit by record cold…….
If you notice that water is not flowing as usual, you may have a frozen water pipe. To avoid frozen pipes:
— Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
— Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.
— When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe — even at a trickle — helps prevent pipes from freezing.
— Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
— If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.
During these days of extreme cold, flush all toilets, run showers, and run all sinks and make sure water is flowing properly through the pipes. Do this several times through-out the day.
Be sure that everyone in the home knows how to shut off the water at the main shut-off. If a pipe does burst, the valve should be shut immediately.
