With winter finally upon us and snow accumulations expected in Central New York this weekend, it’s that time of the year for OCWA customers to begin thinking about ways to protect your home plumbing from freezing.
OCWA urges residents to take precautions to protect outside water services and home plumbing fixtures from freezing. Water lines can freeze solid preventing the flow of water and may also break during extended periods of subfreezing temperatures, resulting in water damage and flooding. If you reside in an area where you have experienced loss of service during extreme weather conditions in the past, the following steps should be taken to maintain water service and to avoid water damage from freezing pipes:
- It is recommended that an inside faucet (preferably located on an exterior wall) be run with a trickle in order to keep water moving through the lines during extended cold weather. Water that is not moving is more likely to freeze. This should be done in homes where water fixtures are used less, creating low water circulation.
- Pipes that run along outside walls are exposed to colder temperatures than those in the interior. Cabinets near fixtures running along the outside wall in kitchens and bathrooms should be opened to allow warm air from the rest of the house to circulate and lessen the chance of freezing.
Property owners are reminded that frozen pipes within the home or business are the responsibility of the property owner. If OCWA customers have any questions, please contact us at 315-455-7061 extension 3123 or 3146.
