GET WINTERIZED!

Winter and cold weather can create some plumbing nightmares if you are not prepared for it. Here are a few cold weather tips:

If you don’t know the location of your water meter, call  our office at (541) 475-3849 and we should be able to describe where to find it or send someone out to show you!  

Around the end of October, protect your water meter by insulating it. Remember, if a meter box is not adequately insulated and then freezes, the cost to replace the meter will be billed to the customer.  There are many methods of doing this, but these are the top three, in order of meter-reader preference:

Also, if you have a leak in the winter and nobody catches it (you or us), and our meter readers have been estimating at 700 cubic feet each month, you will have a large “catch up” bill in the Spring, so it behooves you to make sure not only your meter is insulated, but that we can read the register.

Check your meter cover to make sure it is not broken, missing or out of place. Any of these conditions will allow cold air and moisture into your meter and should be reported to our office at (541) 475-3849.  

Locate your shut off valve and check to see that it works, so that if you do have a problem this winter you can stop excessive water loss and prevent flooding. There is also a shut off valve at your water meter if all else fails. Use a wrench and turn it to the right to turn it off.  Please call our office if you don’t have the right tool or are otherwise unable to turn this valve off.

Wrap outside faucets or hose bibs. Use fiberglass insulation, or molded insulating covers to cover faucets. (Molded styrofoam insulating covers are available at plumbing or hardware stores.) Don’t forget to disconnect and drain your garden hoses.

Wrap all pipes in unheated areas such as crawl spaces, garages, attics and basements. Use insulating tape or molded pipe sleeves to wrap the entire length of exposed pipe. Cover all valves and pipe fittings with insulating tape or fiberglass. This will protect them from freezing.

Stop cold winds from blowing into your house. Caulk around pipes where they enter the house. Close off all foundation vents by sliding in wood or Styrofoam blocks cut to fit the openings.

Open foundation vents are probably the greatest cause of frozen or split water lines.  Other common causes are garage doors being left open, and meter box lids being left off.  

**IMPORTANT –  IF A CUSTOMER’S METER BOX IS NOT ADEQUATELY

INSULATED AND THEN FREEZES, THE COST TO REPLACE

THE METER WILL BE BILLED TO THE CUSTOMER.

IF YOU LEAVE YOUR HOUSE VACANT FOR EXTENDED PERIODS IN THE WINTER TAKE THE FOLLOWING PRECAUTIONS

• Turn off the hand-operated shut off valve
• Turn off water heater at the circuit breaker box
• Open indoor and outdoor faucets to drain pipes
• Flush toilets once to drain the tank but not the bowl
• Leave your heat on at least 55° F to help keep pipes from freezing and to prevent mildew in the home.
• If your pipes do freeze and you are not experienced with home repair work, it is recommended that you call a plumber. There is significant risk of injury or property damage if you are not sure of what you are doing when you are thawing pipes.
• Turn on inside water faucets
• Wrap the frozen pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Never use a flame torch to thaw frozen pipes because of extreme fire hazard and the potential of bursting a pipe from steam pressure. Do not use electrical devices (hair dryers, heaters, etc.) in areas where shock hazard exists.
• Be prepared and enjoy the winter without the worries!

Updated: October 28, 2020

1. Wood chips/ shaved wood animal bedding* - You can find this at any animal feed or pet store (Ag West, Culver Feed Store, Walmart or BiMart, etc.)  Pour the bedding directly into the meter box, over the exposed pipe and tucked up around the register so the dial is still showing.  This will allow the meter reader to read the meter (barring snow on the ground) so that you get a more accurate reading and don’t have a “catch up bill” in the Spring.

2.  Pre-made meter insulation “pillows” from a hardware store.   You can usually find these at Ace Hardware, Lowes/Home Depot, etc.  These tend to be more durable than household garbage bags full of insulation or clothing/towels.  Make sure the meter dial is visible.

3.  Household fiberglass insulation.   To prevent the insulation from becoming a soggy mess, it’s recommended that you double or triple bag it with garbage bags.  You can also use old clothing, bedding or towels as filler.  Cut a hole in the material or arrange it so the meter dial will slip through and will still be accessible by the meter reader.

*Wood chips are the preferred method in that they are bio-degradable.  If using another method, when insulation has to come out in Spring, they are often sopping wet, filled with mice nests or we end up with pieces of insulation blowing away in the wind.  Wood chips can be added to the following winter on top of what’s already there.  

If you have a new remote read “smart” meter, you’ll see that it has a small antenna. Please make sure that antenna is above the insulation so we can get an accurate read.