The city of Oklahoma City is offering some advice to its water customers as the temperature prepares to drop to single digits bringing with it wind chills below zero. They also apply to anyone across the state.
With temperatures expected to drop below freezing for several consecutive days this week, the OKC Utilities Department understands some customers may choose to drip their faucets to help prevent freezing water lines and pipe bursts. For those who choose to do so, special care should be taken to prevent excessive water use and to protect our vital natural resource.
Indoors:
- The only faucets that should be dripping are those along exterior-facing walls.
- It does not take a heavy flow of water to effectively prevent pipes from freezing. Only a small, steady drip or stream no wider than a pencil lead is needed. (Check out our how-to video.)
- If your faucet has a hot and cold handle, open both to mid-flow, then simultaneously reduce both to a small flow until you reach a “pencil lead” stream. If your faucet has a single handle, position the handle in the middle to allow both hot and cold water to drip.
- Open cabinet doors in the kitchen and bathrooms to allow warm air to circulate underneath and keep pipes warmer.
- If you have a basement or crawl space, wrap exposed water pipes to insulate them against freezing. This can also help prevent water waste by keeping water in the pipes warmer.
If you notice your pipes are frozen, use your home’s shut-off valve to shut off water to your home and allow the pipes to thaw.
