Seven Ways to Prevent your Pipes Bursting this Winter

The frigid temperatures that are accompanying the storm hitting the DC region today could have a number of real estate consequences, one of those being frozen pipes in buildings and houses across the city.

Below is a quick list of ways to prevent what can be a common winter occurrence:

• Drain and disconnect any hoses that are attached to the property and cover outdoor faucets.
• Close the inside valves that control the water supply to outside hose attachments.
• Drain water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines.
• Turn one faucet in the house on to just a drip.
• Keep the temperature in the home set to 68 degrees or higher.
• Install products to insulate water pipes, such as a pipe sleeve or heat tape. Pipes near exterior walls and in crawl spaces are the most important to insulate.
• Open cabinet doors where pipes are located to allow warm air to circulate around the plumbing.