Winter Returns & Preventing Frozen Pipes

Has the warmth of the last few days lulled you into a false sense of "it's ever spring?" Well, snap out of it! Winter's making a reappearance. Matt Noyes is predicting as much as 4" of snow locally tonight (Tuesday into Wednesday), and the coming week is expected "to bring a powerful surge of cold to our area." By next week (January 22-28) expect at least one significant snowstorm.

Temps in the coming week (courtest of Matt Noyes/NECN)

So, maybe now is the time to start loading those winter weather apps? Checking car batteries? And if you have any backyard chores to attend to, get them done today, before the really cold temperatures arrive. And if you haven't already gone over the "water checklist" to prevent your pipes from freezing in extreme cold (and what to do if they freeze anyway) here it is:

• Keep a water supply. Extreme cold can cause water pipes in your home to freeze and sometimes break.
• Leave all water taps slightly open so they drip continuously.
• Keep the indoor temperature warm.
• Allow more heated air near pipes. Open kitchen cabinet doors under the kitchen sink.
• If your pipes do freeze, do not thaw them with a torch. Thaw the pipes slowly with warm air from an electric hair dryer.
• If you cannot thaw your pipes, or if the pipes have broken open, use bottled water or get water from a neighbor’s home.
• Have bottled water on hand.
• In an emergency—if no other water is available—snow can be melted for water. Bringing water to a rolling boil for one minute will kill most germs but won’t get rid of chemicals sometimes found in snow.

For general emergency preparedness information and resources, see our Safety/Facts page.