Tips to Keep Pipes from Freezing with Cold Temperatures Heading to Ocean County

1/27/2021 (Permalink)

Even a small burst like this in a pipe can bring enormous amounts of water into your home.

The Jersey Shore has been lucky with warm temperatures so far this winter season.  Unfortunately, that is looking like it may soon change. Over the next 10 days, the nighttime temperature is expected to be below freezing, ranging from a low of 12° to a high of 37°. Daytime temps aren't predicted to be as cold, ranging from a high of 49° to a low of 28° according to WeatherForYou.com. Even some snow storms may be in our future.

With the temperatures predicted to plunge below freezing all but one night over the next 10 days, some of our pipes are in danger of freezing. In fact, burst pipes are one of the most common causes of property damage during frigid weather and can cause thousands in water damage, according to Consumer Reports.

Before we talk about tips to prevent your pipes from freezing, let's first look at which pipes are likely to freeze when the weather plummets. The American Red Cross explains the pipes that freeze most frequently are:

• Pipes that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, and water sprinkler lines.
• Water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets.
• Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation. 

According to the American Red Cross, follow these simple tips to prevent 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. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
• 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 may incur a higher heating bill, but 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.

SERVPRO of Toms River is fully equipped to handle all the cleanup of water damage from any frozen or burst pipe. Please follow our water damage emergency tips until help arrives.