Water Company: Take Steps to Prevent Frozen Pipes

Frigid conditions are on the way this week with single-digit overnight temperatures forecast and Connecticut Water Co. officials are encouraging homeowners to take a few steps to prevent damage caused by freezing household water pipes.

Meters and the pipes connected to them are often close to outside walls and are particularly vulnerable to freezing if heat fails or windows are left open during a cold snap, water company officials said.

Water inside the meter can freeze, damaging it and requiring replacement of the entire unit at the homeowner’s expense, water company officials said.

Property owners are responsible for the maintenance of the water service line from the curb to the house, as well as for any in-home piping, including meter repair costs, Connecticut Water officials said.

Here are a few precautions designed to reduce the chances that pipes will freeze or burst and that water meters will be damaged:

• Know What Areas of Your Home Are Most Vulnerable to Freezing — Basements, crawl spaces, unheated rooms and outside walls are at higher risk of having temperatures affect pipes.
• Eliminate Sources of Cold Air Near Water Lines — Allow room heat to freely circulate around these areas. Seal cracks or holes in windows, walls or doors near the meter or pipes.
• Know the Location of Your Main Water Shut-off Valve — If a pipe freezes or bursts, you will want to know where to go in order to shut off the water immediately.
• Protect Your Pipes and Water Meter — Wrap exposed pipes with insulation or use electrical heat tracing wire; newspaper or fabric may also work. For outside meters, keep the lid to the meter pit closed tightly and let any snow remain on the cover. The snow acts as insulation.
• If you have pipes that are vulnerable to freezing, allow a small trickle of water to run overnight to keep them from freezing. The cost of extra water is low compared with the cost of repairing a broken pipe.
• Expose pipes to warmer room temperatures by letting warm air freely circulate in the area. Set up a small space heater for pipes that are more likely to freeze.
• Check for cracks in the vault cover of outside meter installations — A cracked cover permits cold air to enter and all insulation value to be lost. The double cover is then unable to protect against freezing.

For a more detailed Connecticut Water has prepared a fact sheet go to www.ctwater.com or call 800-286-5700.

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