Adams County Fire Rescue Tip of the Week

ACFR reminds the public to protect their pipes during extreme temperature freezes

DENVER, Colo. – Adams County Fire Rescue would like to remind the public to follow these basic steps to
protect their water pipes from bursting during extreme freezes.

• Make sure and disconnect any outside water hoses and turn off the water to outside faucets.
• Drain the water from pipes that lead to outside faucets.
• Cover all outside faucets with insulation kits; these can be found in any local hardware store. Leave
  them in place all winter.
• If your kitchen sink is on an outside wall, cover exposed water pipes with foam insulation sleeves. You
  can cut these to any desired length, then they can be slipped onto the pipes.
• If a deep freeze is imminent, allow a trickle of hot and cold water to flow from faucets located along
  outside walls.
• Leave sink cabinet doors open so warm air can circulate around the pipes as much as possible.
  Use insulation to seal air leaks around windows and doors near water pipes.
• For added protection, wrap thermostat-controlled heat cables around water pipes that are prone to
  freezing. Remember: heat cables are a heat source; keep flammables away. Additionally, heat cables are
  only a temporary solution. Contact a plumber for a permanent solution to freeze-prone pipes.
• Insulate crawl spaces and the water pipes that run through them. Do the same for attics, garages and
  unheated areas of your home or business.

For a list of these and other safety tips, the public can visit www.acfpd.org.