INDIANAPOLIS -- Local plumbers say they expect to get more calls from homeowners with frozen pipes later this week as our frigid temperatures continue.
They say the most important thing you can do is keep the water flowing when temperatures creep into single digits. Just a trickle is needed from your kitchen sink and any faucets that are near outside walls.
You can also keep cabinet doors open to expose pipes to warmer air.
"What happens a lot is people will leave for work in the morning, and they'll come home and something has broken because it warms up a little bit during the day, and it's enough to unfreeze that frozen pipe," said Jack Hope, Hope Plumbing.
You can check for risk while walking through your house. You may need to insulate pipes or sealing windows.
"Just look for cold spots. If there's one part of your basement that feels particularly cold, address it," said Hope.
He says older homes are more prone to trouble because they tend to have drafts.
And don't forget to disconnect any hoses outside.
If it's already too late, call a professional.
"We try to shut off the main to the home, get the water to stop. After that, we try to locate where the leak is. A lot of times it can be at the main shut off, a lot of times it can be a burst in the pipe," said Hope.
Click here for more information about preventing frozen pipes
