BELLEVILLE, Ill. — Remember when it was 70 degrees in December? Me neither.
To some, it feels like a lifetime ago given the bitterly cold temperatures in the air this week, and that chilly weather could cause frozen pipes if the right steps are not taken.
Illinois American Water shared the following tips on Jan. 4 for frozen pipe prevention and protection for local water teams.
Customers should:
- Allow a small trickle of water to run overnight to keep pipes from freezing. The cost of a short-term trickle is much less than the cost of repairing a pipe burst, according to Illinois American Water.
- Consider collecting water for later use such as watering indoor plants and more.
- Open cabinet doors to expose pipes to warmer room temperatures.
"These tips are most important," said Beth Mathews, Vice President of Operations. "They help residents keep their home plumbing safe, while also supporting our team in the field. Many times, when pipes freeze, customers will assume there is an issue with their water service and call our team to inspect. This can place demand on our team members working hard in the field to keep water flowing."
If in-home pipes freeze, customers should:
- Immediately shut off the water and do not attempt to thaw frozen pipes unless the water is shut off. Freezing can often cause unseen cracks in pipes or joints.
- Apply heat to frozen pipes by warming up the air around it. Use a hair dryer, space heater or hot water. Space heaters should not be left unattended and avoid using kerosene heaters or open flames.
- Once pipes are thawed, water should be turned on slowly and pipes should be checked for cracks and leaks.
When customers are away from home, they should:
- Someone should regularly check their property to ensure the heat is working and the pipes are not frozen.
- Consider installing a freeze alarm. The alarm will call a user-selected phone number if inside temperatures drop below 45 degrees.
Other tips:
- Residents should clear any snow away from fire hydrants near their residents. This can help local firefighters in the case of an emergency.
- Direct customers of Illinois American Water should keep their account contact information updated to receive important notifications if their services are impacted.
- Other customers should check community resources to see if their water sources are impacted.
