RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) – If you’re planning to hit the road over the holidays, there are a few things to check off your list before you leave the house.
Carroll General Manager of Plumbing and Heating, Kyle Vickery, says first, disconnect all outside hoses.
“What will happen is the hose will hold water and come back up the pipe and crawl space and it will freeze and burst the pipe inside the crawl space,” he said.
Vickery says to check to make sure doors and vents in crawl spaces or attics are closed at all times so cold air doesn’t get in.
He adds that people should insulate their pipes and let the faucet drip, as tap water is less likely to freeze.
He says homeowners can choose to shut off the water supply if they plan to be gone for a few days or more to ensure the heat is still on.
“Try to keep it in that 68 or higher range. I know a lot of people will drop it to 60 or 50, but the longer he can keep his house warm, the better off he’ll be,” Vickery said.
Vickery says homeowners need to know where the water valves and circuit breakers are so they can be turned off in an emergency.
He says that a broken pipe can come at a high price.
“It depends on the type of pipe, and it can cost between $200 and $300 for a broken pipe. So doing a little preventative maintenance, including closing basement vents or disconnecting hoses, can save a bit of money in the long run.”
Vickery says that if you turn on the faucet and it only comes out a trickle, it’s probably frozen.
“The first thing to do is cut off the main water line because it may not have started to thaw yet. Once the pipe bursts, many times, the block of ice will remain there when the pipe bursts and freezes.”
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