If you plan to be away for an extended period this winter, prepare your home by:

• Turn off the water main to the house.  If you can’t find or don’t have a hand valve, call the District office.
• Once the line is turned off, drain the pipes by flushing toilets and running water through faucets.  Make sure to turn off water heater at the breaker.
• Insulate all pipes located in unheated 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 freezing temperatures, 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 sinks to let warm air circulate around water pipes.

If your pipes freeze:

• 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, turn off the water using the hand valve.  If you cannot get the water turned off, call the office for assistance.  You will need to contact a plumber for any repairs needed.