City of West Chicago issued the following announcement on Jan 27.
Due to the upcoming cold weather the City of West Chicago wants to remind residents of steps they may take to prevent water damage from frozen and burst pipes.
We encourage residents to take the following precautions when temperatures are consistently at or below freezing:
· Allow a small trickle of water to run overnight to keep pipes from freezing.
· Open cabinet doors to expose pipes to warmer room temperatures to help keep them from freezing. Make sure there are no harmful substances to pets and young children when leaving cabinets open.
· Eliminate sources of cold air near water lines by repairing broken windows, insulating walls, closing off crawl spaces and eliminating drafts near doors.
· Know the location of your main water shut-off valve. If a pipe freezes or bursts, shut the water off immediately.
· Protect your pipes and water meter. Wrap exposed pipes with insulation or use electrical heat tracing wire; newspaper or fabric might also work.
If your pipes freeze:
· Shut off the water immediately. Do not attempt 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 hair dryer, space heater or hot water. Be sure not to leave space heaters unattended, and avoid the use of kerosene heaters or open flames.
· Once the pipes have thawed, turn the water back on slowly and check for cracks and leaks.
If you will be away:
· Have a friend, relative or neighbor regularly check your property to ensure that the heat is working and pipes have not frozen.
Original source can be found here.
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