Education » Winterization Tips

Winterization Tips

As Macon Water Authority customers anticipate falling temperatures during the winter months, they also should take precautions to weatherize their homes and winterize their outdoor pipes and irrigation systems, to save time, money, and water later.

Since most grass is dormant during the winter months, MWA customers are likely to decrease their outdoor watering accordingly.  As a result, it's difficult to assess any pipe damage that may occur during the winter, primarily from water remaining in an exposed outdoor water line, and that bad news is not likely to show up until spring.  But winterizing those outdoor water lines can prevent potential pipe freezing -- and subsequent water line bursts -- from occurring in the future.

According to sources at the University of Georgia Cooperative Extensive Service, most in-ground pipes will be OK during the winter, since typically only the top two inches of ground will freeze in Georgia.  Other pipes and valves at or above ground, such as backflow-prevention devices, may be in danger.

To prevent exposed valves, pipes, and irrigation systems from freezing, consider these tips:

* Tape exposed pipes -- many home improvement retailers have tapes, foams, and other products for sale to use in these instances.

* Wrap them as well, with sacks or protective materials.

* Drain your entire sprinkler system, as the tips of sprinkler heads often continue to hold water, even when inactive.

Tips for winterizing outdoor faucets and garden hoses include:

* Disconnect garden hoses from all outdoor water faucets, allowing water to drain from frost-free faucets.

* After disconnecting and draining garden hoses, store them in a place with consistent (warmer) temperatures.  

* If hoses are left without draining, do not move them or handle them during freezing temperatures, as they may be brittle and can be damaged.

* If a faucet is not frost free, find the shut-off valve in the basement or crawl space where the pipe feeds the faucet going to the outside of the home or building.

* Shut off this valve feeding this outdoor line.

* Open the outside faucet to make sure it drains after the valve feeding this outdoor line has been cut off.

Additional weatherization tips include:

* Add or supplement insulation for water heaters.

* Protect window air conditioning units by draining their pipes/hoses.

* Remove those window units, if possible, and insulate the area accordingly.

* Clean gutters so winter rains and melting snow can drain properly.

* Keep garage doors closed whenever possible, to keep heat around water heaters and such located there.

* Opening cabinet doors in the home to expose pipes to heat, while leaving a few faucets dripping, can help during extremely cold incidents.

* When leaving your home or business, place the thermastat on 55 degrees, rather than turning it off altogether.

But always remember:

* Should a pipe burst due to freezing or under any other circumstances, know how to shut off your main water line servicing your home or building.

For more information on weatherizing your home, check out the website for the UGA Cooperative Extension Service.