Preventing Frozen Pipes in Central Pennsylvania
Short answer: shut off and drain outdoor faucets in fall, insulate pipes along outside walls and in unheated spaces, keep the heat steady and let a slow drip run on the coldest nights. Know where your main shut-off is before winter.
Request a plumberOutdoor faucets
Close the inside valve to each hose bib in fall and open the outside faucet to drain it.
Garden hoses
Disconnect hoses so water can't freeze back into the faucet.
Exterior walls
Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls during cold snaps.
Unheated spaces
Insulate pipes in garages, porches and crawl spaces.
Thermostat
Keep it steady, even overnight and when you're away.
Dripping
A slow drip on vulnerable lines keeps water moving.
Basement windows
Seal drafts near pipes.
Going away
Keep the heat on and ask someone to check the house, or shut off and drain the system.
Signs of trouble
A faucet that slows to a trickle on a cold morning.
If a pipe freezes
Warm it gently and keep the faucet open.
Older homes
Stone and brick homes from the 1800s often have pipes run along cold foundation walls. Insulating those runs, or rerouting them, ends the yearly worry.
After the freeze
Once temperatures rise, walk the basement, check ceilings below bathrooms and listen for running water. Some breaks only leak after the ice melts.
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