Winter weather can cause water pipes to freeze and burst if you haven’t prepared them for the cold temperatures. A frozen pipe that bursts can quickly flood your house and cause thousands of dollars in damage.

Prepare for a Freeze

Make sure you know where your home’s shut-off valve is and how to turn it on and off. If you leave town or will be gone during a freeze, consider turning your water off at the shut-off valve and draining your pipes. If you’re unsure how to drain your pipes, call a plumber. Call your electric or gas utility company to ask how to protect your water heater.

Inside Your House

• Open the cabinets under the sinks in your kitchen and bathrooms to allow heated air to circulate around the water pipes.
• Maintain the heat in the building, especially when you’re gone for the day or away for a long time.
• Consider maintaining the heat to a level comfortable for occupancy
• Turning the thermostat down while away may not provide enough ambient heat to keep pipes from freezing
• Let indoor faucets drip, but don’t run a heavy stream of water.
• Find your shut-off valve

Outside Your House

• Protect faucets, outdoor pipes, and pipes in unheated areas by wrapping them with rags, newspapers, trash bags, plastic foam, or covers designed to protect outdoor faucets from freezing.
• Take the hose completely off the exterior hose bib/faucet.
• Insulate your outdoor water meter box and be sure the lid is on tight.
• Cover any vents around your home’s foundation.
• Drain water sprinkler supply lines.
• Drain swimming pool circulation systems.

What to Do if Your Pipes Freeze

If a frozen pipe bursts and floods your home, turn the water off at the shut-off valve. Call a plumber for help if you can’t reach the shut-off valve or stop the leak. Don’t turn the water back on until the pipe has been repaired.

If your policyholder has damage, they should consider the taking the following steps:

• The policyholder should consider making temporary repairs to protect the property from further damage. This would include:
• Securing the services of a plumber to repair the damage to the plumbing system.
• Removal of water to begin the drying process.
• The damage to plumbing caused by freezing is generally covered ( however, vacancy issues can lead to exclusions of coverage)
• Securing emergency services to begin the drying process is imperative to reduce further damage to the dwelling.
• Consider a mitigation vendor if water damage is severe and walls are wet
• At very least, shop-vac and use dehumidifier until help arrives.
• Keep all receipts for temporary repairs for adjuster review. Also, please keep damaged property available for inspection.
• If possible, take photos or videos of the damage before making repairs.
• Don’t make permanent repairs to the dwelling until after the adjuster has had an opportunity to inspect the loss. Permanent repair to the plumbing system is OK.