Make Sure Your Water Systems are Ready for the Cold Weather Ahead
With winter steadily approaching, the Hicksville Water District (HWD) would like to remind residents of some simple steps they can take to ensure that their home water systems are prepared for the cold weather ahead. Following these steps can prevent numerous potential hazards, such as system leaks and breaks, freezing pipes, expensive plumbing issues and more.
“Winter is a critical time of year when it comes to maintaining your home water systems,” said HWD Chairman Nicholas Brigandi. “If proper precautions are not taken prior to the coldest time of year, frozen water can cause damage that requires significant and expensive repairs. We encourage residents to follow these simple tips to make sure their water systems make it through the winter unscathed.”
Indoor Water Maintenance Before Cold Weather Arrives:
Freezing temperatures and cold winds can cause pipes and water meters to freeze or break. In preparation, please locate the main water shutoff valve in your home in case of an emergency and make sure pipes in unheated areas—such as crawl spaces—are properly insulated. Insulating pipes can be easily achieved by lining the pipe with only 1/4″ of newspaper. If your water systems have proven susceptible to freezing in the past, make sure that these unheated systems are introduced to heat by opening up the space to the rest of the home. This will allow the warm air to circulate in these areas as well.
If pipes do freeze, running them until the blockage melts is not the most efficient option. Instead, appliances such as hair dryers can provide slow, even heat coverage to defrost pipes.
Outdoor Water Systems:
Be sure to drain outside faucets and turn off outside water to prevent freezing and breaks. Check your water meter pit cover to make sure that it is securely bolted down and that the cover is intact with a waterproof seal.
Sprinkler Systems:
Sprinkler systems should be drained and turned off to prevent possible leaks and damage to the system. Leaks in sprinkler systems caused by burst pipes can be hard to identify when the systems return back on line, leading to increased water usage and inefficient functionality.
Water Lines Leading to Unheated Structures:
Be sure to shut off and drain service lines leading the unheated structures until spring to prevent breaks.
Learn About Water Leaks as They Happen:
Due to the Hicksville Water District’s water meter replacement initiative, residents now have the ability to track their water usage in real time by connecting with the EyeOnWater® web application. Through this free app, residents have the capability to proactively monitor any water system issues before pipes break or burst by establishing leak alerts. Registering is simple, and can be done at the following link: https://eyeonwater.beaconama.net/signup.
If you have any questions regarding home preparation for winter, please contact the Hicksville Water District at 516-931-0184 or visit our new website at www.hicksvillewater.org.
