INDIANAPOLIS — As the temperatures are expected to drop. plumbers recommend letting water drip from a faucet to help prevent pipes from freezing.
“The best advice that we can give is run water, insulate exposed piping, make sure that your crawl spaces are closed up and any vents in your crawl spaces are closed up as well,” Chase Seals, CEO of John Flower Plumbing, said.
Seals says the one of the most common calls they receive is not until after the pipes thaw. Seals says sometimes, people didn’t even know they had a frozen pipe.
One way to prevent pipes from freezing inside of your home is to leave cabinet doors open in your kitchen and the bathroom. That will help warmer air surround the pipes to try and prevent freezing. Seals also says to make sure that your garage door is closed. When your pipe freezes, the water inside expands and with nowhere to relieve the pressure, the pipe can burst.
"One of the most common problems due to the freezing temperatures is frozen hose spigots, one example is people leaving their hose connected to the hose spigots for an extended period during these freezing temperatures,” Seals said.
Seals says these problems are not noticed until after the freeze — spigots can leak inside the house when you try to use them for the first time, which is usually in the spring.
He adds disconnecting your hose before freezing temperatures arrive is key. Seals says that it’s best to contact a licensed plumbing contractor so they can properly take a look at your system and help prevent future problems.
“We would expect a busy day on Friday. We have already reserved time in our schedule to help customers who would have these types of problems,” Seals added.
Pat Sullivan, the owner of Sullivan Hardware and Garden on the city’s northside, says the winter storm is adding a whole new level of chaos for their day-to-day operations
“We don’t really know what’s going to happen. Having ice melt on hand – everyone has guests come over during the holidays, so you want to make sure you have the proper ice melt and shovels on hand,” Sullivan said.
For people like Frances McCauley, you can say she has a different outlook on the winter storm.
“I’m retired, so it doesn’t bother me. I’m staying inside as long as I got a few things to eat. Can of soup – some bread – some rice I’m good,” McCauley said.
McCauley was just one of many people who were picking up some last-minute essentials.
“I’m supposed to hit Meijer, so we will see if I make it in there or not – I went last night, and it was horrendous,” McCauly said.
