Pipe bars cold! How to protect your pipes during the freezing point in South Texas

As the weekend approaches, the temperature will continue to drop in the coming days.

Your KSAT weather authority expects two rounds of winter weather in the San Antonio area from Saturday to Monday. With these temperatures below freezing, it is important to winter your home ahead of time.

RELATED: San Antonio neighborhood has two rounds of winter weather in this weekend

These cold temperatures can pose a particular threat to water pipes, inside and out. As the ice begins to form, it can expand and possibly break your pipes, which can be expensive according to the San Antonio Water System (SAWS).

However, there are some precautions you can take to prevent this. Here’s what you can do according to SAWS:

Cold winds can speed up the freezing process. Seal openings where cold air can reach unprotected water pipes, such as taps.
Foam or fiberglass insulation sleeves help a lot to keep the exposed pipes safe.
Leave cupboard doors under the kitchen and sinks open to allow warmer room air to circulate over the pipes.
If there are rooms without heating ducts, then leave doors open to let in the heat of the environment. Especially if the room is on the north side of the house.
Slowly dripping taps to allow water to flow through pipes is not ideal, but it can help.

Do not worry about the pipes underground, according to SAWS, the temperature will not be cool enough to freeze them.

If you find that your home is without water during the cold weather, there are a few things to consider when trying to navigate the problem. This could be due to a frozen pipe, or some other problem.

Here’s what you need to look for to determine what is causing the water outage, according to SAWS:

Check several taps around the house. Are they all down or is it just one?
Consult your neighbors if they have water services.
Is your house heated? Were you away from home during the freezing point?
Did you let your taps drip? Do you cover taps outside?

As soon as the temperature starts to warm up later next week, check your plumbing work in areas that may have been frozen.

If a pipe is cracked or damaged, you will probably need to have it repaired.

Click here to find out more about the winter of your home, or for more information on SAWS.

Stay informed

As always, your Weather Service team will keep you posted. You can get the latest forecast at any time by bookmarking our weather page and downloading the KSAT Weather Authority app – available for both Apple and Android devices.

.Source

Share this:

Related