VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - When the temperatures drop, your pipes could burst, leaving you with a headache and mountain of costly repairs.
"When those pipes freeze, unfortunately, it causes them to split and it can lead to some pretty devastating damage in your house, especially folks with copper pipe and polybutylene piping," said Scott Shaffer, Plumbing Manager for Michael and Son Services in Chesapeake.
Shaffer said prevention is the name of the game so burst pipes and flooding don't destroy your home. He said a good rule of thumb is to leave your faucet dripping.
"That may result in a little bit of a high water bill but it's far less than, you know, the expensive pipe repair or the repairs from the damage to the home," he said. "The other big thing is to keep your heat consistent in your home."
Shaffer also recommends to insulate your pipes if possible because it is not very expensive and can make a world of difference.
"We've been fortunate this year so far because we've been a little bit warmer down here but I do see, looking at the extended forecast, that we are going to be getting some colder weather," Shaffer said.
Michael & Son tips to prevent frozen pipes below:
- Keep garage doors closed if water supply lines are in the garage.
- Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warm air to surround plumbing.
- When temperatures are below freezing, let the cold water drip from the faucet.
- Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both day and night.
