Local plumbers give tips on how to prevent frozen pipes

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Freezing temperatures elevate the risk of people waking up to frozen or busted water pipes in your home during the winter months.

lf you want to keep the water running experts tell ABC57 keeping your home warm is one of the best ways to prevent frozen pipes this winter.

It’s a costly problem you might not think about until temperatures hit below zero. You then start to turn up the heat and hope that everything will be okay, but experts say by then, it might be too late.

“Prevention is number one. If you have an area of the house that’s a little bit colder than others and you have water or pipes barred lines in there you can always put a fan," said Melissa Fink, Service Manager at Legacy Heating and Air.

Even with furnaces and fans running your pipes could still be at risk. Experts say opening cabinets to improve insulation and keeping a small drip from the faucets whether you’re in an apartment or home could help you save thousands.

“Once the pipes are frozen the damage is done now it’s just about mitigating how much of a loss you’re gonna have," said James Olsen, Operations Manager at Home Comfort Experts.

A few tips include: 

• Open cabinet doors in kitchens and bathroom where water lines may be again exterior walls and not getting adequate warmth with the cabinet doors closed.
• A small flow of water might be all it takes to keep your pipes from freezing. Let warm water drip, preferably from a faucet on an outside wall. A trickle of a drop-a-second, up to a small steady flow about the diameter of pencil lead, is all it takes.
• Check around the home for other areas where water supply lines are located in unheated areas. Look in the garage, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Both hot and cold-water pipes in these areas should be insulated.
• Look for air leaks around electrical wiring, dryer vents, and pipes. You should caulk any holes or cracks that exist near pipes. This should be done on both interior and exterior walls. Doing so can help keep the cold air out and the warm air in.

Olsen says if you do notice signs of frozen pipes shut off your water supply immediately to prevent water damage and help lower some of your repair costs.

“You’ll have some fees for getting the plumbing repaired, but fixing some copper pipes or something like that is nothing in comparison to removing the carpet, removing the dry wall," said Olsen.

And although it might be tempting to fix it yourself, Fink says if in doubt be sure to call experts.

“You want the pipes to be able to thaw. You want to do it at a slow process. You don’t want to just full force it through so always call a plumber," said Fink.

Experts say repairs can easily go up to as high as $5,000.