12/19/2022
Polk County Emergency Management, Texas
PREPARE FOR FREEZING WEATHER
PROTECT THOSE PIPES
December 19, 2022
We are expecting freezing temperatures this week. Now is the time to prepare and protect your home.
Make sure you have plenty of non-perishable food and drinking water (1 gallon per person per day for at least 3 to 7 days). Also keep enough food and water for your pets.
Keep water in your home for sanitary purposes (i.e. toilet flushing). Consider filling a bathtub with water.
Always be prepared for power outages. Have flashlights and batteries on hand. Use generators safely.
Protecting Pipes:
*source: austintexas.gov*
1. Locate your water shut off
Make sure everyone in your residence knows where the water main shutoff valve is located and keep it clear of debris and obstacles at all times.
2. Keep out cold air
Tightly close doors and windows to the outside. Make repairs to broken or drafty windows, doors, and walls. Seal all leaks in crawl spaces and basements. Winterize unheated spaces and close garage doors for the duration of the freeze.
3. Exposed pipes and water heaters
Insulate pipes in unheated and drafty areas, such as an attic or garage. Also check manufacturer recommendations for your tanked and tankless water heaters. Hardware and plumbing supply stores carry insulation to help keep pipes from freezing.
4. Outside faucets
Turn off outside faucets. Remove all connected hoses and wrap faucets with towels or a Styrofoam insulator. Turn off and drain automatic sprinkler systems.
5. Prepare before leaving town
If you plan to be away during a time when freezing temperatures are possible, turn off your water at the meter and set your thermostat to 65 degrees or higher.
During Freezing Weather (1-2 days):
1. Protect indoor faucets
Open cabinets beneath kitchen and bathroom sinks to allow warmer air to circulate around pipes. Be sure to remove any toxic substances located in these cabinets if there are children or pets living in the residence.
Drip only if needed. After the measures above are taken, drip one cold water faucet slowly if you feel your pipes may still freeze. The faucet you choose should be the one that is the greatest distance from your main shutoff valve. It does not need to be a running trickle. If you do drip your faucet, capture the water for future use.
2. Outside faucets
Turn off outside faucets. Remove all connected hoses and wrap faucets with towels or a Styrofoam insulator. Turn off and drain automatic sprinkler systems.
3. Power outages
If you experience a power outage for more than 24 hours, stop dripping your faucets and turn off your water at the meter.
Thawing Pipes After a Freeze:
After a period of freezing weather, if you turn on a faucet and discover only a trickle of water coming out, or no water at all, it is possible you have a frozen pipe or water meter. Onalaska Water & Gas has provided some suggestions in the flyer below on how to handle frozen pipes.
If these steps do not work, contact a licensed plumber.
