MACON, Ga. — With temperatures set to reach below freezing later this week, plumbers say they're getting ready for calls to start ringing in about frozen and busted pipes.
So, what can you start doing right now to avoid a Christmas nightmare?
Before you get into full holiday mode, you may want to think about checking these things off your list to save you from a big plumbing bill. That bill could range from $150 to several hundreds of dollars, says Matt Nelson at Watson Plumbing and Associates.
1. Insulate your pipes
"Under the house or in the attic is is where the main problem would be. insulate your pipes if you can. If you can't, like said just you know close all the vent holes, close the scuttle hole door," Nelson said.
2. Check outside faucets
"They need outside covers. you can always put a sock or towel on them. just to keep the wind from getting to it too bad," Nelson said.
3. Keep your faucets dripping in your home
"When you keep a faucet running inside, you want to run the hot and cold about the same. It doesn't have to be much. Just to keep that water circulating, but definitely a little more than a drip," Nelson said.
Other tips
Other tips to follow include keeping the garage doors closed if there are water supplies and opening kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors so warmer air can circulate around the plumbing, according to the American Red Cross.
If you're leaving the house this holiday, leave the heat on in your home if you can. The American Red Cross advises to keep it to a temperature no lower than 55 degrees.
Nelson says the first sign that your pipes are frozen is no water or little water coming from the faucet.