JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After seeing several days with highs in the 70s and 80s, Mother Nature has brought our area back into winter.
The pattern through next week looks fairly cold.
In fact, several freezes are likely through next week, with several spots in Georgia seeing below freezing temperatures Thursday into next week. This includes Ware, Pierce, Brantley and Charlton Counties.
With cold weather in the forecast, how are your pipes impacted and what can be done to prevent your pipes from bursting? Here are a few tips before the cold weather arrives.
When temperatures are below freezing and the water in your pipe freezes, water expands when frozen. In a small enclosed pipe outdoors or an exterior wall, the pipe bursts due to the expansion of the water.
One way you can prevent this from happening is to add insulation in cold-prone areas and add specific products to pipes. A pipe sleeve, for example, can help prevent this because the sleeve provides insulation to the pipe.
During cold weather, make sure you allow cold water to drip from faucets. Doing so allows water to keep moving in the pipe, which is harder to freeze and also releases pressure as the water expands.
Make sure to keep the heat on in your house and keep temperatures at a minimum above 55 degrees. Also, open your cabinets to help warm the pipes.
Speaking of the cold, make sure to dress in multiple layers to avoid frostbite. Frostbite can occur on exposed skin within minutes if temperatures are low enough.