Frozen Water Pipes
The weather in Cincinnati got pretty cold over the weekend. We saw 16 degrees Fahrenheit Sunday. That's definitely cold enough to freeze pipes. But typically, low wind chill is required to freeze most pipes and we did not have any significant breezes accompanying our cold snap. That probably kept down the number of frozen pipes around here and the number of calls to local plumbing companies that fix them. Remember, once frozen, pipes are never the same. They become stressed and usuallly burst or leak simply because water turns to ice and expands. Something must give under such pressure, and copper, plastic or any other material will split.
Exposed pipes or those located inside outer walls with poor insulation are the most susceptible to freezing. Don't forget to open cabinet doors around sinks located against outside walls when the temperature drops into the low 20s and teens. Especially if you have any doubts about how well your walls are insulated.
Kitchen plumbing jobs will be a the most common sort of jobs plumbers will be dealing with throughout the rest of the year...unless we get some really cold temperatures between now and New Years Day. Typically, January and February are the months that usher in the coldest temperatures and the worst winter weather so those are the months when Cincinnati plumbers and those throughout the northeast and Midwest see the greatest number of frozen pipes. Use heat tape and insulation to protect your exposed pipes and don't forget to cover outside faucets (hose bibs) or you'll be asking for trouble.