Winter weather is here and the City of Carmel Utilities would like to remind you to take precautions to protect the plumbing in your home from freezing during extremely cold temperatures.
· If you have pipes along an outside wall allow a small trickle of water to run at night to keep the pipes from freezing. The cost of the extra water is low compared to a frozen pipe.
· Open cabinet doors to expose pipes along outside walls to warmer room temperatures.
· Insulate both hot and cold water pipes in an area that is likely to freeze since hot water pipes have a tendency to freeze first.
· Keep your garage door closed whenever possible during cold spells.
· Before the frost hits, make sure to drain and store garden hoses.
· Know where your main water shut-off valve is. If a pipe freezes or breaks, shut the water off immediately.
Traveling during periods of cold weather? Please consider these measures to take care your home:
· Make arrangements with a friend or neighbor to periodically do a house check to make sure the heat is working.
· Never turn off the heat – keep the thermostat at least 65 degrees. Anything lower than 50 degrees may cause frozen pipes.
· Turn down the temperature on your hot water heater to save energy but do not turn the unit off.
· Check your basement or crawl space sump pump. Inspecting the sump pump to ensure it’s working correctly will save time and money.
For frozen pipes or water leak concerns, please call Carmel Utilities Water Distribution at 317-571-2855.