If you live in the Midwest or on the East Coast, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll experience some freezing cold weather conditions at some point today. Just one look at The Weather Channel’s website shows that temperatures, with wind chills, reach as low as -48°F, with school closings and even deaths across some of the coldest areas.
If you’re piping or plumbing inside of a building, there’s more than simply a chance you’ll be exposed to cold weather. Xavier Ugarte, owner of Roto-Rooter Plumbing, told WKBN-TV that people need to be cognizant of the conditions outside and keep their pipes as warm as possible.
Ugarte said the number of frozen and bursting pipes increase when the temperatures plunge past the freezing mark. However, he said there are ways for residents to keep their homes safe this winter, including leaving cabinet doors below sinks open and to wrap exposed pipes with insulation.
“It’s a waste of water but it beats a pipe burst, you don’t have to leave the faucet completely on,” said Ugarte. “You pull back and it’s closed. At least this helps you insulate from the outside barrier of the wall or the coldness.”
Visit WKBN-TV’s website to read more, or check out Contractor Magazine’s photo gallery from this week on seven ways to avoid a winter plumbing disaster. Some simple steps can save your home a lot of heartache, headaches, stress and money.