HOUSTON – A hard freeze is on the way early next week and now is the time to prepare your pipes.
KPRC 2 spoke with Texas Plumbing about how you can prevent your pipes from breaking when freezing temperatures arrive to Houston.
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With temperatures in the 70s on Wednesday, Nathan Renfro with Texas Plumbing says this is the perfect time to prepare.
Renfro suggests wrapping your pipes and adding a windbreaker to keep pipes warm. If you can’t get a plumber to come out, you can do it yourself with items in your house.
“Go to your linen closet, grab you a blanket or towel. Wrap it around and you’ll be good to go,” Renfro said.
Renfro says don’t forget the duct tape if you plan to use a towel or blanket to make sure no air can get it. He also suggests using a heating pad or a swimming pool noodle to protect pipes.
If you do find yourself at the hardware store, you can opt for pipe covers that come with tape and faucet covers.
As for inside your home, you can leave water running out of your kitchen sink or your shower. Renfro says you’ll need more than a drip to prevent pipes from freezing up.
“A steady flow would be right here,” he said. “It’s very important to mix hot and cold.”
Texas Plumbing says for those who will be out of town, the best thing to do is to turn off your water completely.
You do this by finding your main water valve and twisting it to the off position. This is located either on the side of your house or in your front yard. Once this is turned off you must turn off your electric water heater to prevent it from breaking. The next step is to open your faucets this will help avoid any pressure from building in the pipes.