Cold bursting! How to Protect Your Pipes During Freezing South Texas

As the weekend approaches, temperatures will continue to drop in the coming days.

His KSAT Meteorological Authority expects two winter periods in the San Antonio area from Saturday to Monday. With these temperatures below freezing, it is important to prepare your home for winter in advance.

RELATED: The San Antonio Area will have two rounds of winter weather this weekend

These cold temperatures can pose a special threat to water pipes, both internal and external. As ice begins to form, it can expand and possibly break its pipes, which can be expensive, according to the San Antonio Water System (SAWS).

However, there are some precautions you can take to avoid this. Here’s what you can do, according to SAWS:

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• Cold winds can accelerate the freezing process. Seal openings where cold air can reach unprotected water pipes, such as taps.

• Foam or fiberglass insulation sleeves help a lot to keep exposed tubes safe.

• Leave the cabinet doors open under the kitchen and bathroom sinks to allow the warmest air in the room to circulate through the pipes.

• If there are rooms without heating ducts, leave the doors open to allow ambient heat to enter. Especially if the room is on the north side of the house.

• Letting the taps drip slowly to keep water flowing through the pipes is not ideal, but it can help.

Don’t worry about underground pipes, as temperatures will not be low enough to freeze them, according to SAWS.

If you find that your home runs out of water during cold weather, there are a few things to consider when trying to work around the problem. It may be due to a frozen tube or another problem.

Here’s what to look for to help determine what is causing the water shortage, according to SAWS:

• Check several taps around the house. Are they all turned off or is it just one?

• Check with your neighbors if they have a water service.

• Is your house heated? Were you away from home during the freeze?

• Did you leave your taps dripping? Cover your external taps?

As soon as temperatures start to warm up next week, be sure to check the plumbing in areas that may have been subject to freezing.

If a pipe is cracked or damaged, you will probably need to repair it.

To learn more about preparing your home for winter or for more information on SAWS, click here.

Stay Informed

As always, your meteorological authority’s team will keep you updated. You can get the latest forecast at any time by checking our weather page and downloading the KSAT Weather Authority app – available for Apple and Android devices.

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