Preparing for Dangerously Cold Temperatures

Brrrr! Are you ready for these dropping temperatures? The forecast is predicting dangerously low temperatures for our area and with the cold weather comes issues with frozen and bursting pipes. Do you know how to prevent freezing pipes in your home? Here are steps you can take right now, so it is less likely to happen to you!

• Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
• Disconnect all outdoor hoses and turn off water to exterior faucets and sprinkler systems.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing.
• Keep heat at 55 degrees or higher even when you are out of town.
• Wrap pipes in foam insulation tubes, especially those close to outside walls, attics or crawl spaces where the chance of freezing is greatest.
• Seal air leaks surrounding or near pipes.
• If you need to be away from home, leave the heat on and drain your water system before you go.
• Identify the locations of shutoff valves so you are prepared to stop the flow of water as soon as possible should a pipe burst.

The crew at McDonald Insurance Agency is here to help if something does happen! If you need to submit a claim, you can take advantage of your insurance carriers 24/7 Claim Support Service. That information is located on our website. You can also call us to submit a claim or if you have any questions!