Cold Weather Protection
Preferably before the cold sets in, locate your main water shut-off valve and hang an I.D. tag on it so you can find it quickly in an emergency. In many homes, it is located near the water meter or close to where the water pipe enters the home.
If your pipes do freeze, you will need to be able to turn off your water immediately. Do NOT attempt to thaw the pipes without doing so.
Please note: If your pipes do freeze, we do not thaw our frozen meters or service lines.
We recommend that you locate and test your main water shut-off valve.
It’s a good idea to test your main water shut-off valve to be sure it works properly. To test, slowly close it. If you have a ball valve, it generally only requires a quarter turn to close. Gate valves are generally closed by turning the handle clockwise and should turn easily. You may need to have it serviced if it does not close easily.
Once the shut-off valve is completely closed, check sinks and other water fixtures to make sure you found the main water valve and that it is working properly. If no water comes out of any faucets, CONGRATULATIONS, you found your shut-off valve!
Need a tag? Download the Water Main Shut-off Valve cut-out print-ready file.
Checklist to help avoid frozen pipes this winter:
- Check sprinkler or irrigation systems. Make sure everything is turned off and drained.
- Eliminate sources of cold air near water lines. Fix drafty windows and plug drafts around doors.
- If pipes run through cabinets or vanities, open the doors to let warmer room temperatures flow in.
- Protect your pipes. Wrap them with insulation.
- When temperatures fall below freezing, keep water moving through the pipes by allowing a small trickle of water to run.