PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The frigid weather has many potential hazards. Among them are burst water pipes, and the Philadelphia Water Department is bracing itself.
Bitter cold temperatures will continue through at least noon on Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. The highs will reach the mid-20s but wind chills could get low as 7 degrees.
“Whenever we see below-freezing temperatures that don’t go above freezing for more than 48 hours, we really see a big increase in customers calling in with frozen pipes or pipes that have frozen and actually broken,” said city spokesperson Brian Rademaekers.
Rademaekers said the department can’t help residents at that point, so preparation in advance is crucial.
“What you really want to do is just keep any area that has plumbing in it at least 40 degrees or warmer,” he explained, including the area around the water meter. If that gets damaged, homeowners are responsible for repairs.
He recommends sealing off any drafts in those areas with newspaper or caulk. You can also use newspaper around exposed pipes, in a pinch, or towels and blankets — even packing peanuts.
“If that’s hard to do or you don’t have time to insulate your pipes or cover up a drafty window, a really easy, cheap thing to do is to leave a faucet trickle overnight, just to keep the water moving,” he added. “Just a tiny little drip, just to keep that water moving through the pipe during the coldest hours of the night.”
Rademaekers said that water use would cost pennies but could save thousands of dollars in repairs.
If you wake up without water, Rademaekers advises checking with your neighbors. If they have water, the problem is probably a frozen pipe in your home. If they don’t, it could be a water main break.
“Just like people’s pipes in their homes, the city’s pipes get impacted by this extreme cold,” he said.
Rademaekers said to report that right away. The department has crews standing by.
For more advice, visit water.phila.gov.