Madison Reporter

Snow and frigid temperatures are a good reminder for home and business owners to make sure their water pipes are protected from freezing or bursting this winter.

Helpful tips to keep your home safe this winter:

•    Double-check outdoor hose bibs to make sure all hoses are disconnected and faucets are turned off and drained.

•    Make sure your basement is properly insulated and check for areas where cold air may be rushing in.

•    Insulate pipes in unheated areas like crawl spaces, unheated garages, and attics.

•    Leave some heat on in unused areas of your home or business.

•    If you leave home for a few days, keep your thermostat on at least 55 degrees and open any cabinets where sink plumbing is against an outside wall.

•    Never try to thaw a frozen pipe with an open flame! If you have frozen water pipes, please call 608-266-4661.

•    Ensure your furnace vents are clear of snow and ice. A clogged furnace vent can cause a backup of toxic carbon monoxide in your home.

•    Find the master shut off valve that turns the off water to your entire home – it’s usually in the basement – and make sure everyone in the household knows where it is in case a pipe does freeze and burst.

•    Check out this video from Cleveland Water that shows how to locate and operate your water shut off valve.

Clearing snow from fire hydrants:

Madison Water Utility cares for the city’s 9,009 fire hydrants. If a hydrant is lost or buried in snow, firefighters can lose valuable time trying to locate it when they first arrive at a fire. Please help keep this critical part of our water system ready in case of a fire by clearing snow from the hydrants near your home.

Original source can be found here.