The Kansas City, Kansas, Board of Public Utilities has offered some tips to prevent water damage from frozen and burst pipes.
According to a BPU spokesman, simply running a pencil-thin stream of water overnight will help customers avoid frozen pipes. Although this could use about two gallons of water in an evening, the cost will be a lot lower than having to repair a frozen or burst pipe.
Some tips from the BPU for residents on how to prevent frozen pipes:
• Allow a small trickle of water to run overnight to keep pipes from freezing. The cost of the extra water is low compared to the cost to repair a broken pipe. BPU also encourages customers to capture the water for wise water use. The water can be used to water indoor plants and more.
• Open cabinet doors to expose pipes to warmer room temperatures to help keep them from 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. Wrap exposed pipes with insulation or use electrical heat tracing wire; newspaper or fabric might also work.
If your pipes freeze:
• Shut off the water immediately. Do not attempt to thaw frozen pipes unless the water is shut off. Freezing can often cause unseen cracks in pipes or joints.
• Apply heat to the frozen pipe by warming the air around it, or by applying heat directly to a pipe. You can use a hair dryer, space heater or hot water. Be sure not to leave space heaters unattended, and avoid the use of kerosene heaters or open flames.
• Once the pipes have thawed, turn the water back on slowly and check for cracks and leaks.
When you are away:
• Have a friend, relative or neighbor regularly check your property to ensure that the heat is working and the pipes have not frozen.
BPU also advises that sub-freezing temperatures can cause aging water mains to break and cause water to cover roadways. If you see a leak, your water service is disrupted, or you experience low pressure, contact the company’s Water Issues Line at 913-573-9622 to report an emergency.
