For some reason, the water mains around town are breaking more than usual. Some say it’s the change in weather, with colder weather and rapid changes in barometric pressure being the culprits. Others say it’s the shifting of rock and other debris. Regardless, these breaks have been causing some serious headaches for homeowners in the neighborhoods affected.
As a homeowner, there’s very little you can do when it comes to taking care of the city’s water mains. However, you can take some steps to make sure you aren’t left high and dry while the city works to repair burst pipes. First, make sure you keep a stock pile of bottled water at home. Second, discuss with your family when it is appropriate to turn on a tap or flush the toilet (if at all).
If it turns out you’re to be without water for a long period of time, check to see if your homeowners insurance policy will help cover temporary living expenses. If it does, you could at least be guaranteed a hot shower every day.
Protect Your Own Water Pipes
While you can’t do much about the pipes outside your house, you can take steps to protect the ones on the inside:
- Put a blanket around your water heater
- Turn off the water to your outside spouts
- Insulate your walls and pipes well
- Open cabinet doors to allow for warm air circulation around sink pipes
Take Other Steps to Protect Your Home
Broken water pipes are not the only concern we face in our wintery state. A fast thaw of snow and ice can lead to flooding. Melting ice dams can cause severe water damage to roofs, walls and insulation. By removing snow buildup from your roof and around the exterior of your home, you limit the chance that you’ll be suffering from winter’s effects long after the snow is gone. To get the best protection available, you should also review your homeowners policy to make sure you have the necessary coverage, including flood insurance and scheduled personal property in case you do experience flooding.
What do you think? Are these steps enough to protect you in the event a water pipe breaks or the snow melts too quickly? We’d love to hear your thoughts!
Source: What’s up with the water-main breaks? http://www.riverfallsjournal.com/event/article/id/104167/
