Grand Rapids Notice: Cold Weather Prep for Water Lines

After-hours water or sewer emergencies, please contact the Wood County Sheriff’s Office at (419) 354 – 9001 (select option #9) to dispatch one of our village employees.

As the holidays’ approach and extremely cold temperatures are in the forecast, here are some important tips for homeowners:

• As a homeowner, you are responsible for the water and sewer lines on your property and inside your house.
• Turn off the water to outside faucets, remove hoses, and drain the pipes.
• From the inside, cover any open vents with insulation, plastic, or cardboard.
• On colder nights, it’s a good idea to open cabinet doors to expose pipes to your home’s warmth.
• The temperature where water meters and interior pipes are located must be a minimum of 55 degrees.
• On very cold nights, let your kitchen or bathroom faucets drip slowly to keep water moving.
• Pipe Insulation works only if the interior living space is heated.
• If you are without power & your using a generator DO NOT use it inside of your home or garage. Make sure that there is plenty of ventilation to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

If a pipe in your home freezes:

• Shut off the water immediately. Don’t attempt to thaw frozen pipes unless the water is shut off. Freezing can often cause unseen cracks in pipes or joints.
• Completely open the cold and/or hot water faucet closest to the frozen pipe. This will relieve pressure and reduce the chance of breakage.
• Apply heat to the frozen pipe by warming the air around it, or by applying heat directly to a pipe. You can use a hair dryer, space heater or hot water. Be sure not to leave space heaters unattended.
• Do not use kerosene heaters or open flames to thaw pipes inside your home.
• Once the pipes have thawed, turn the water back on slowly and check for cracks and leaks.
• If in doubt, call a registered plumber for help.

Be prepared: Store water

A water main break can occur at any time, but especially during winter months. Additionally, meters sometimes can freeze, causing an unexpected water outage. Be prepared: Store water for your household ahead of time. The rule of thumb is to store one-to-two gallons per person, per day, to
last at least three days. Remember to store water for your pets!

Need a pipe or furnace repair? Contact Measel Heating and Cooling at 419-419-9245 or Kendell Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling at 419-352-8561.