A cold bursting from pipes! How to Protect Your Pipes During the South Texas Freeze

by

As the weekend approaches, temperatures 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 overwinter the house early.

RELATED: San Antonio area for two rounds of winter weather this weekend

These cold temperatures can pose a threat to water pipes, both indoors and outdoors. As ice begins to form, it can expand and possibly break pipes, which could be costly, according to the San Antonio Water System (SAWS).

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

Announcements

  • 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 keep exposed pipes safe.

  • Leave the cabinet doors open under the kitchen and bathroom sinks to allow warm room air to circulate through the pipes.

  • If there are rooms without heating ducts, leave the doors open to let in the ambient heat. Especially if the room is on the north side of the house.

  • Letting the taps drip slowly to keep the water flowing through the pipes is not ideal, but it can help.

Don’t worry about underground pipes, as temperatures won’t be cool enough to freeze them, according to SAWS.

If you see that your home does not have water during the cold weather, there are a few things to keep in mind when exploring the problem. It may be due to a frozen pipe or other problem.

According to SAWS, here’s what to look for to determine what causes water to appear:

  • Check several home faucets. Are they all off or is it just one?

  • Check with your neighbors if they have water service.

  • Is your house heated? Were you away from home during the freeze?

  • Did you leave the taps dripping? Cover the outside taps?

Once temperatures start to warm up later next week, be sure to check the plumbing in areas that may have been frozen.

If a pipe is cracked or damaged, you may need to repair it.

To learn more about winterizing your home or to learn more about SAWS, click here.

Stay informed

As always, the Your Weather Authority team will keep you up to date. You can get the latest forecast at any time by marking our weather page and downloading the KSAT Weather Authority app, available for both Apple and Android devices.

Announcements

Copyright 2021 by KSAT – All rights reserved.

.Source