It's extremely cold out there in Central Texas this coming Sunday to Tuesday. Please read and follow the following procedures to ensure your home is safe and undisturbed by broken pipes.
Remember the 4 P’s: People, Pets, Pipes, and Plants
People - Before going outside, dress in layers to protect yourself from the cold. Check on your neighbors. While heating your home, do not use a generator, grill, camp-stove, or any gasoline, propane, or charcoal-burning device because they generate deadly carbon monoxide gas.
Pets – Bring your pets inside to keep them warm and safe.
Pipes – Insulate or cover exposed pipes to protect them from freezing, turn off outside faucets, drip ONE faucet only if needed.
Plants – cover your plants or bring them in.
Steps to take during a freeze:
Open cabinets beneath kitchen and bathroom sinks to keep pipes warm.
If you experience a power outage for more than 24 hours, drip from one faucet.
Tune into the local news for the latest updates.
In case of a water outage:
If a pipe break occurs in your rental or rental complex, contact your property manager.
If your property manager cannot be reached or a leak has not been repaired, call 311.
More Preparation Tips to Prevent pipe bursts:
You're safety and well-being is our top priority. Please be advised that all throughout Texas we are forecasted to experience freezing temperatures for prolonged periods throughout the remainder of the week. This weather includes the potential for snow, sleet, and freezing rain that can create hazardous conditions.
During this extremely cold weather, staying warm and safe and prepare for winter storms, prevent cold temperature-related health problems, and protect yourself during all stages of a winter storm by reviewing the CDC winter weather preparedness guidelines by following the link cdc.gov/disasters/winter/index.html
Other items for your consideration.
• Turn off outside features, faucets, spigots or lines, clear lines of water & insulate wherever you can.
• If you have a water feature, such as a pool, fountain or hot tub, contact your service provider for winterization assistance.
• Maintain interior heat at levels sufficient to prevent pipes inside the walls of your home from freezing.
• Drip your faucets. Slow moving of water through a line will prevent ice accumulation.
• Open cabinets where plumbing faces exterior walls so that warm air can circulate around them and help keep them from freezing.
• Insulate any exposed pipes located in attics or crawl spaces to prevent frozen pipe ruptures.
• If your home has a chimney and you plan to use it, please be sure the chimney is clean, clear and that the flue is open.
• Verify smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are functioning with new batteries.
• Keep gutters free of debris, ice, and snow which can pull down your gutters and cause roof damage.
• Trim tree branches: The weight of snow and ice on tree branches during a storm can cause damage to your home and loss of power. Remove any dead limbs or branches that could cause serious damage if they were to fall.
• If you use a space heater, be sure to use extreme caution and do not leave them unattended.
• If pipes in your home burst, you may have to cut off water to the entire house. Know where your water shut-off is for your property and how to use it. Typically, this valve is located near the water meter box.
Keep these tips in mind, I promise you don't want to experience a bursted pipe.
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