By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — With the coldest temperatures of the season in the forecast this weekend and next week frozen or burst pipes can be a frustrating disruption.
"It doesn't matter whether it's copper, iron or PVC pipes, they can all crack and burst if they freeze," said Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas. "A crack as small as one eighth of an inch can spew up to 250 gallons of water a day, causing flooding, structural damage and the potential for mold."
Make sure everyone in your family knows where the water shut-off valve is and how it works.
"Make sure that your garden hoses are disconnected," Steward said. "Walk around your house and unhook any of those that may be still connected to the house. You don't want those to freeze. Especially if you have pipes toward the outside walls of your house, allow warm water to slightly drip overnight. That slow trickle of water can keep your pipes from freezing."
You may also look at opening cabinet doors to let warm air get to pipes under sinks.
"If you turn on your faucet and nothing comes out, your pipes are likely frozen," Steward said. "You can attempt to try to thaw them out. We recommend trying a hair dryer to thaw out a frozen pipe. Start with the section closest to the faucet and work your way out toward the coldest part of the pipe."
If your water pipes have already burst, turn off the water at the main shutoff valve in the house, leave the water faucets turned on, and call a plumber.