Preventing frozen pipes as temperatures plunge in Kentucky and Indiana

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- With temperatures dropping into single digits this week, homeowners are being reminded to keep their pipes from freezing.

Pipes freezing can be a problem because water expands as it freezes, putting pressure on metal or plastic pipes.

Here are some tips the Louisville Water Company offered to protect your home's pipes:

Wrap exposed pipes and your water meter with insulating materials
Cover outside vents of crawl spaces
Close garage doors if a home has a slab foundation because some pipes are under concrete floors in the garage
Run a small, steady stream of water and open cabinet doors to allow heat to circulate around pipes during extremely cold weather
Know where your home's main water shutoff valve is located. If a pipe freezes or bursts, shut the water off immediately.

The Indiana American Water Company offered several practical reminders for the extreme cold:

Update your emergency contact information and preferences in your water account. The company uses this information to contact customers about any service impact.
Wrap exposed pipes with insulation or use electrical heat tracing wire; newspaper or fabric might also work.
For outside meters, keep the lid to the meter pit closed tightly and let any snow that falls cover it. Snow acts as insulation, so don't disturb it.

If your pipes freeze:

Shut off the water at once.
Don't try 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 hairdryer, space heater or hot water. Be sure not to leave space heaters unattended.
Do not use kerosene heaters or open flames to thaw pipes inside your home.
Once the pipes have thawed, turn the water back on slowly and check for cracks and leaks.

WDRB Winter Outlook | Share Photos & Videos | Weather Cameras | Forecast | Radar