Prevent frozen and broken pipes
Icy winds and sub-freezing temperatures can do a lot of damage to your home or business by freezing
pipes and leaving you without running water.
- Insulate all pipes located in unheated areas, such as the garage and garden areas. Inexpensive
foam insulation is available at most home improvement stores.
- Have your yard sprinklers and backflow preventer drained and winterized. Be sure to wrap the backflow
preventer with insulating material.
- Disconnect outside hoses, wrap faucets and cover them with plastic or faucet covers.
- Cover crawl space vents when temperatures dip below freezing. Remember to uncover vents
when the weather warms up.
- At 20 degrees or less, turn on a small but steady stream of cold water at the inside faucet
furthest from the water meter. Also, open cabinet doors below the sink to let warm air
circulate around water pipes.
- If your pipes freeze and you know where the frozen spot is, wrap the pipe with warm towels.
- Never use a flame or hair dryer to thaw frozen pipes.
- If your pipes break, shut off your water using the hand valve. If you cannot get the water turned
off, call EWEB at (541) 685-7000 for assistance.
- Turning off the water main to the house. If you can't find or don't have a hand valve,
call EWEB at (541) 685-7000. We'll come out and turn the water off for you.
- Once the line is turned off, drain the pipes by flushing toilets and running water through faucets.
Make sure to turn off your water heater at the breaker.
See EWEB's brochure on preventing frozen and broken pipes
