ARKANSAS, Ark. — Arctic cold air is moving south and will drop temperatures across a majority of the country. With frigid temperatures, the chance for house incidents grows, including the threat of bursting pipes.
How can you help prevent your pipes from bursting? We talked to the experts. We invited a local plumber to give us a complete walkthrough of an Arkansas home. He tells us how he would prepare this home if it were his own.
Tap here for the latest forecast of cold air on the way.
Matt Gifford, plumber, home renovation expert, and owner of It's Plumbing, LLC in Northwest Arkansas walked us through an example home where he prepared and demonstrated everything he would do to protect it from the Arctic cold.
When do you need to worry about pipes bursting?
Every home is built differently. Where pipes are laid and how insulated they are depends on the builder and the homeowner. How homes are structured can also range across the country based on the dominant weather pattern. But, there are some general rules to know.
- Any time temperatures drop below freezing, there will be the chance of a bursting pipe.
- The chance of bursting pipes tends to skyrocket when temperatures drop below 20 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 6 hours straight, especially in the southern states.
What to do before the cold air hits?
Gifford focused on prevention, even before the cold air arrives. Insulating exposed pipes was at the top of his list. Plus, locating where your shutoff valves are is priority number two, just in case of an emergency.
On the outside, disconnect the water hose and cover the faucet.
What to do during the cold?
Gifford said the top priority is running water in each faucet, especially the faucets the farthest away from the water heater. This could be a drip or a very small run (the size of the lead inside a pencil). You need to be running water everywhere in the house.
Plus, open the cabinet doors underneath all faucets. Keep the house at a warm, comfortable level to allow the warm air to hit the pipes.
How to know if there is a problem, whether or not you can see it?
If you try to run water and it doesn't work, then there is a chance that a pipe has burst, even if you don't see water damage. During the cold, check all the faucets periodically in the house to make sure water is still coming to them.
What do I do when a pipe does burst?
Turn off the water at the shutoff valve and call a plumber immediately. The longer you wait, the more damage could occur.
What to do after the cold?
Once temperatures warm back up, test all the faucets, both indoor and outdoor, to make sure they are running water properly.
How much can a pipe burst cost?
It's not the cost of the pipe that hurts, it's all the damage that the water can cause, especially if you catch it hours later. According to AAA Insurance, the average regional frozen pipe claim costs more than $11,000.
To avoid these costs, here are some AAA tips to prepare your home for winter weather:
- Remove hoses from faucets on the outside of the home.
- Replace weather stripping around windows, doors, vents, fans, plumbing, air conditioners, electrical lines, and gas lines.
- Insulate any cracks or holes on the outdoor walls of the home.
- Have faucets drip to prevent frozen pipes.
- Create a well-insulated basement by closing the foundation vents and windows and wrapping any vulnerable pipes with pipe insulation.
- Locate shutoff valves to turn off water in case of emergency.
- Set the thermostat to a “reasonable temperature” even while away from the home.
- Keep bathroom and kitchen cabinets open to circulate warm air around the pipes.
- Keep chimneys’ flues for wood-burning fireplaces closed when not in use. For gas fireplaces, follow all manufacturer instructions which may require the chimney to be always partially open.
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