what to do about frozen pipes

Everyone may encounter the situation of frozen pipes in winter.With temperatures predicted to fall to 0 to 10 degrees overnight, frozen water pipes will be a concern for some midstate residents.

“Frigid temperatures can lead to frozen water pipes inside of the home and costly plumbing repairs, while substantial amounts of blowing and drifting snow can impede access to fire hydrants during emergencies,” said Pennsylvania American Water Vice President of Operations Steve Tambini. “We advise customers to take safety measures that will help protect their homes and neighborhoods from extreme winter weather.”Here are some tips for you to solve this problem.

Turn off your inside stop tap. It might be under the kitchen sink, in an airing cupboard or under floorboards near the front door. If you're unsure how to locate or use your inside stop tap, watch our helpful video

Check visible pipes for damage. If you find which pipe is frozen you can gently warm it up

Turn on nearby cold taps (keep the stop tap turned off) this will relieve pressure on the frozen pipe

Use a hairdryer at its lowest setting or a hot water bottle wrapped in a tea towel to gently warm the pipe. Warm along the pipe starting at the end nearest the tap.Protect or remove anything which might be damaged if the pipe bursts when thawed.

Know what areas of your home, such as basements, crawl spaces, unheated rooms and outside walls, are most vulnerable to freezing.

Eliminate sources of cold air near water lines by repairing broken windows, insulating walls, closing off crawl spaces and eliminating drafts near doors.

Know the location of your main water shut-off valve. If a pipe freezes or bursts, shut the water off immediately.

Protect your pipes and water meter. Wrap exposed pipes with insulation or use electrical heat tracing wire; newspaper or fabric might also work. For outside meters, keep the lid to the meter pit clos