Officials urge pipe protection ahead of winter storm

SALISBURY, Md. — As the winter storm approaches, more people are concerned about bursting pipes. Officials explained how to avoid a disaster as temperatures drop.

Service Today sales manager Mike Cobo said, “The most important thing is to have a plan. You know, to do some research on your own home. Figure out what you would do if this event does occur so that you know where you’re going quickly.”

Cobo said it’s important to be efficient with a prevention plan when temperatures drop.

“In your kitchen or your bathrooms, wherever you have sinks, open the cabinet doors and that will allow some of the heat from your home to get into that space and ensure that the pipes underneath the sinks don’t freeze,” Cobo said.

He said pipes in the garage ceiling often freeze the fastest because it is not heated.

Cobo said, “Some people have the old kerosene heaters or, you know, the electric ones. You just want to be careful that you don’t plug it into anything that can cause a fire risk.”

If you utilize a space heater, make sure there is proper ventilation as well as a carbon monoxide detector. He added that one thing he doesn’t recommend is the water drip method.

“If you’re doing a slow drip, the drainpipe where that water is draining to could actually freeze up because it’s not a constant flow. So we say it as a last resort. Because you want to use a steady stream, you’re going to turn that spigot on and it’s full and so it’s flowing relatively quickly.”

He said another good practice is avoiding heat tape due to the fire hazard. If you see a possible pipe-burst leak, it’s best to act fast.

Plumbing service manager Lindsey Steele said, “Getting the water shutoff as quickly as possible if you’ve got an active leak is going to save you a lot of drywall and flooring damage. Acting fast and knowing where your main shutoff valve is, should you need it, is definitely important.”

Cobo also recommended having your plumbing and HVAC checked ahead of the storm.