Don’t let another winter storm take you and your pipes by surprise

BRAZOS RIVER AUTHORITY

Judi Pierce has been the public information officer for the Brazos River Authority for 20 years. Her office is in Waco.

As all of Texas saw in 2021, winter storms can hit quickly and do great damage, especially to water pipes. But if you plan ahead, your home and possessions can be safe from the result of broken water pipes while conserving water that is wasted during broken main events.   

We Texans joke year-round about how quickly our weather can change. The week before Christmas, a strong Canadian cold front swept through, plunging temperatures below freezing. Thankfully, that last cold snap was a dry event. But the next one could bring rain, sleet or snow with the lower temps, potentially wreaking havoc on water pipes and leading to home catastrophes.

Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do that could save you money in repair bills while keeping water where it is supposed to be.

The goal is to keep pipes from freezing. The American Red Cross notes that since water expands when it freezes, “This expansion puts tremendous pressure on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes. No matter the strength of a container, expanding water can cause pipes to break.”

Burst pipes can cost a homeowner $5,000 or more to repair, according to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. Because we usually don’t have long-term freezing temps, it’s easy to forget that you may have pipes that are vulnerable to colder weather, such as unprotected areas outside of insulation.

“Pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are all vulnerable to freezing, especially if there are cracks or openings that allow cold, outside air to flow across the pipes,” according to the IIBHS. “The size of pipes and their composition (copper or PVC) have some bearing on how fast ice forms, but they are relatively minor factors in pipe bursting compared with the absence of heat, pipe insulation and exposure to a flow of subfreezing air.”

Pipes most at risk are spigots located outdoors, such as swimming pool supply lines and water sprinkler systems or water pumps located at the lake’s edge. Other pipes susceptible to freezing are located in places such as garages or kitchen and bathroom cabinets located against walls that are not well insulated.

Consider the following steps to protect your property:

• Drain water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines according to manufacturer’s instructions, or have a professional do the job for you.
• Remove, drain and store outdoor hoses. Close inside valves linked to outdoor spigots, but keep the outside valve open to allow water to drain.
• Purchase Styrofoam coverings to place over the spigots as added protection from the cold.
• Consider adding insulation to attics and crawl spaces.
• Insulate pipes located in unheated areas of your home.
• Keep garage doors closed as much as possible during cold weather if there are water lines in the garage.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors so that warmer air can circulate in those areas.
• If the weather outside is very cold, let water drip from faucets. This helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Keep your thermostat set at a steady temperature. If you plan to leave your home for an extended time, do not set the temperature below 55 degrees.

When the weather has been warm, it’s easy to be caught off guard by a sudden cold snap. Taking precautions in advance can keep you from having to pay an expensive repair bill and also helps to conserve water that could otherwise damage your home.

judi.pierce@brazos.org