Tips to Protect Your Home from Winter Weather

In order to help residents get their homes’ prepared for the height of the winter, the Port Washington Water District (PWWD) is providing a checklist of tips to help their homes and piping systems remain trouble free during the colder months. When water systems are improperly prepared for frigid temperatures, it becomes increasingly likely for indoor and outdoor water systems to experience leaks and breaks.

“To avoid the potential headache of frozen pipes this winter season, we hope our residents make use of these handy tips to better prepare their homes from any potential cold-weather issue,” stated PWWD Chairman David Brackett. “These simple steps will help ensure no issues when turning systems on in the spring and avoid the need for unnecessary and expensive repairs.”

Following these simple tips help to protect every homeowner from the stress and burden of frozen pipes.

Indoor Maintenance

• If your water service is stationed in a basement or boiler room, make sure to consistently check the surrounding area for broken windows or drafts during the winter season. Pipes and water meters are more apt to freeze or break from chilling winds and icy temperatures.
• It is also important to ensure that any pipes in unheated areas are properly insulated.
• To prepare for a water leak emergency, locate and label the main water shutoff valve in your home. Shutoff valves are typically stationed where the water service enters the house through the foundation.

Outdoor Water Systems

• Disconnect and drain all hoses and keep them in a dry place so they are ready for use when the warmer weather comes.
• Ensure that you’ve turned off your hose valves from inside the house, leaving the outside spigots open to protect against freezing. Any water that becomes trapped within these spigots will be able to expand in freezing temperatures, preventing the pipe from bursting.
• Check your water meter pit covers and make sure they are secure and bolted tightly.

Sprinkler Systems

• Ensure that your sprinkler systems are winterized to protect against any leaks and possible damage to the system. If your pipes burst from the cold weather this can cause leaks in your sprinkler system, which can be hard to identify when you start to use your sprinkler system during the warmer months. Leaks in your sprinkler system will use more water and decrease the functionality of the system itself.

Water Lines Leading to Unheated Structures

• Make sure to turn off and drain every service line leading to unheated structures until spring. This helps to prevent breaks within your water system.

For further information, or if you have any questions, please call the District at 516-767-0171, email info@pwwd.org or visit www.pwwd.org. To receive regular updates from the Port Washington Water District, please sign up for email updates on the District’s homepage. Don’t forget to stay connected to the Port Washington Water District’s on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pwwaterdistrict.