With pre-Christmas temperatures expected to dip well below freezing later this week, the Oklahoma City Utilities Department wants to remind residents of how to protect their plumbing and help pipes from bursting:
Outdoors:
- Remove garden hoses and cover outdoor water spigots.
- Turn off your sprinkler system or set it to manual and make sure it is not scheduled to run while temperatures are below 32 degrees Fahrenheit.
Indoors:
- Open cabinet doors in bathrooms and kitchen to allow warm air to circulate underneath, keeping pipes warm.
- If your kitchen or bathroom faucet is along an exterior house wall, you may want to turn on the water and allow it to drip at a steady rate, or a stream no wider than a pencil lead. There is no need to run faucets that are not along exterior-facing walls.
- If your house has a basement or crawl space, wrap any 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 main shut-off valve to shut off water to your home, and allow the pipes to thaw.
For emergencies, or to report a broken main along a street, call Utilities Emergency Dispatch at (405) 297-3334.
###
Media Contact
Michelann Ooten
(405) 297-1066, (405) 205-1879 cell
michelann.ooten@okc.gov
