Protect Pipes During Cold Weather

Sign saying cold weather ahead in front of a winter scene

With extremely cold temperatures expected over the weekend and into next week, Hendersonville Water & Sewer has important reminders to protect your home and pipes. 

Tips to Protect Your Home During Winter Weather: 

  1. Disconnect and drain all garden hoses and install covers on outside faucets.
  2. Keep garage doors closed.
  3. Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.
  4. Identify water shut-off valve locations and know how to operate them.
  5. Wrap pipes nearest exterior walls and in crawl spaces with pipe insulation or heating tape.
  6. Regulate indoor temperature around the clock, primarily by keeping your thermostat set to the same temperature during the day and at night. Temporarily suspending the use of lower thermostat settings at night may raise your heating bill, but it can lower the chances of a frozen and busted pipe causing serious damage to your home.
  7. Close all windows near water pipes, and cover or close open-air vents. Freezing temperatures combined with drafts of cold air can raise the likelihood that pipes will freeze. 

If a Faucet or Pipe Inside Your House Freezes:  

  1. Start thawing it nearest to the faucet. Make sure the faucet is turned on so that melted water can drip out. 
  2. Pipes can be thawed by using a good hair dryer (To avoid electric shock, do not operate a hair dryer close to standing or puddled water.) Another method to safely thaw frozen pipes is to heat water on the stove, soak towels in the hot water, and wrap them around cold sections of the pipes. Never try to thaw frozen pipes with torches or other means using extreme heat or flame. If heated too quickly, waterlines can explode and cause serious injury.
  3. If a pipe bursts, shut off the water at the main valve. If the break is in a hot water pipe, the valve on top of the water heater should be closed. Keep an emergency or after-hours number for a plumber nearby and call one as quickly as possible. If you believe that your water meter is frozen, contact the Water Department by calling 828-697-3073 during normal business hours and 828-891-7779 after hours/on City holidays. A technician will come to your home to verify that water is flowing as it should through the meter. All pipes and plumbing on the house side of the meter are considered private and are the customer’s responsibility.
  4. In an emergency, however, the Hendersonville Water Department is available 24/7. The City does not assist customers with indoor plumbing issues but can cut off the water source to help mitigate the situation if a break occurs. Should you need assistance, call customer service at 828-697-3073 during normal business hours and 828-891-7779 after hours.

Free AquaHawk Water Leak Alerting 

We encourage Hendersonville water customers to sign up for our free AquaHawk Alerting service that offers information about your water usage and can provide alerts when your usage indicates a leak. Visit https://hendernc.aquahawk.us/login to sign up! 

 

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