Before Frigid Weather Sets In
Know what areas of your home are most vulnerable to freezing
Pipes located in basements, crawl spaces, unheated rooms, and outside walls are at a higher risk of freezing. It is the responsibility of you, the customer, to protect the water meter and piping within your property from freezing. Should your water meter freeze and break from a failure to protect it, the Kittery Water District (KWD) will replace the meter and bill for the repairs. Should your service line or household plumbing freeze and break, it is the responsibility of the customer to contact a plumber and possibly a contractor to make repairs. The responsibility of the KWD begins at the water main and ends at the curb stop at the property line.
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 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. Snow acts as insulation.
When Temperatures Reach Freezing
If you have pipes that are susceptible to freezing
Allow a small trickle of water to run overnight to keep them from freezing up. The cost of extra water is low compared to cost of repairing a broken pipe.
Expose pipes to warmer room temperatures
Let warm air to freely circulate 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
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.
If Your Pipes Freeze
Do Not attempt to thaw frozen pipes with running water. Immediately shut off water!
Apply heat to the frozen pipe by warming air around it
Applying heat directly to a pipe works as well, use a hair dryer or space heater, low and slow is the way to go. Be sure to never leave space heaters unattended. Avoid use of kerosene heaters and open flames to heat pipes an open flame should NEVER be used, this is dangerous and may create a far worse situation.
Once pipes have thawed
Turn water back on slowly and check for cracks and leaks.
Key Reminders
If you are away during a cold snap
Have a friend, relative, or neighbor check the property to make sure the heat is functioning correctly and pipes have not frozen.
ADDITIONAL INFO:
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE:
- Make freeze protection a seasonal ritual. As the gardens are harvested and the lawn furniture is put away for the year, take time to protect your water service.
- Close all basement windows, doors and bulkheads. If you live in a trailer, be sure that the skirting is snugly in place. Prevent drafts where you find them.
- When and where possible, insulate exterior walls. Basement floors and walls are terrible culprits for radiating cold.
- Adding foam insulation to pipes can be a relatively easy and cost-effective means of protection.
- If your pipes and water meter are located in a closed cabinet, consider leaving the cabinet door open to allow warm air infiltration.
- When possible, maintain warm temperatures wherever plumbing is located, particularly if you are going to be away from home for any length of time. If you DO need to be away, ask a friend or family member to periodically check your home and open faucets to be sure that freeze ups have not occurred.
SHOULD PREVENTION FAIL AND THINGS FREEZE:
- Should you be unable to thaw a frozen pipe, it may be time to call a reputable plumber. Having the name and number of a plumber on-hand will be a great timesaver and will afford some peace of mind. It may seem unnecessary, but having the names and numbers of multiple plumbers could be of great value should your first choice not be available. You will also want to have the phone number of the KWD (439-1128) should you need us to turn off the water at the street, in an emergency or to make repairs. After regular business hours, you can contact the Kittery Police Department (439-1638) and they can reach out to the KWD’s on-call Technician.
Hopefully prevention prevails and no-one experiences damage or inconvenience. Lets all enjoy a safe and happy winter!
