Autumn is a good time for you to take steps to prevent water pipes
from freezing and bursting this winter.
Insulate water pipes in any "unheated" areas of
your basement, such as crawl spaces. Also, inspect your basement
for broken windows or especially drafty areas. Bitter cold blowing
directly on a water pipe can quicken the freezing process.
Consider draining your outside faucets by:
-
Closing your shut-off valves (usually
located within three feet of the interior basement walls nearest the outside
faucet)
-
Opening your outside faucets to drain the water from the valves
to the spigots and
-
Leaving your outside faucets open through the winter.
If you are going away for the winter, consider draining your
plumbing system even if you intend to leave the heat on. Ask
a qualified plumber how to do this. If you receive water from
the MDC, call the MDC's Customer Service department at (860) 278-0127
so that your water can be shut off at the curb box as well.
If you use a wood or coal burning stove as the primary source
of heat in your home and you also have a conventional hot water
heating system that you seldom use, it is a good practice to occasionally
turn on your hot water heater. Water left standing in a pipe or
radiator -- particularly in or near an exterior wall -- can freeze
during bitter cold spells.
If a pipe does break, shut off the main valve nearest to the
water meter and call a plumber.
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Protect Pipes