Will My Pipes Freeze in a Roanoke Cold Snap?
Pipes freeze when it stays below freezing for a day or more, especially pipes in crawl spaces, garages and outside walls. Disconnect hoses, insulate exposed pipes, open sink cabinets and let a thin stream run from the furthest tap.
Request a plumberHow cold does Roanoke get?
Most winters are mild, but the city averages about six days a year that stay at or below freezing, and it reached 0°F as recently as February 2015. The record low is −12°F, set in December 1917.
Which pipes are at risk?
Outdoor faucets, pipes in a vented crawl space, lines in an unheated garage or along an outside wall, and anything near a draft from a foundation vent.
What should I do before the cold arrives?
Disconnect and drain garden hoses. Close foundation vents if your crawl space has them. Wrap exposed pipes with foam sleeves. Know where the main shut-off is.
During the freeze
Open kitchen and bathroom cabinets on outside walls. Let a pencil-thin stream run from the tap furthest from where water enters the house. Keep the thermostat steady overnight.
If a tap won't run
A pipe is probably frozen. Warm it slowly with a hair dryer, starting near the tap. Never use an open flame. If it splits as it thaws, close the main and send a request; see emergency plumbing.
After the snap
Check the crawl space and basement for drips and wet insulation. Small splits often only show once water pressure returns.
What if I'm away in winter?
Leave the heat on, no lower than the mid-50s, and ask someone to check the house during a cold snap. For a long trip, shut off the main and open a low tap to drain the lines, then switch the water heater to vacation mode.
Can a split pipe be fixed quickly?
Often, yes. A plumber can cut out the damaged section and join new pipe in. If several pipes split in the same crawl space, ask whether rerouting or adding insulation would stop it happening again next winter.
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