City of Flint Urges Residents to take Precautions to Protect Home Plumbing amid Sub-Zero Temperatures

Due to the recent bout of extremely colds temperatures Mid-Michigan is experiencing, the City of Flint is urging residents to take precautions to protect home plumbing fixtures from freezing. Water lines can freeze and break during extended periods of subzero temperatures, resulting in water damage and flooding. The following steps should be taken to avoid water damage from freezing pipes.

• It is recommended that one faucet in a household be run with a stream from the tap that is as wide as a pencil (or about ¼ inch) in order to keep water moving through the lines. Water that is not moving is more likely to freeze. This should be done in homes where water fixtures are used less, creating low water circulation.

• Pipes that run along outside walls are exposed to colder temperatures than those in the interior. Cabinets near fixtures running along the outside wall in kitchens and bathrooms should be opened to allow warm air from the rest of the house to circulate and lessen the chance of freezing.