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Prevent frozen pipes
Don’t be caught by surprise when sub-freezing temperatures strike the Willamette Valley. A lengthy cold snap of temperatures in the teens or 20s can cause pipes to freeze and burst.

Prevent costly repairs by following these tips:

• Insulate all pipes located in unheated areas, such as the garage and garden areas. Inexpensive foam insulation is available at most home-improvement centers.
• Disconnect outside hoses, wrap faucets and cover them with plastic or faucet covers.
• Cover crawl space vents when temperatures dip to 20 or below. Remember to uncover vents when the weather warms up.
• At 20 degrees or less, turn on a small but steady stream of cold water at the inside faucet farthest from the water meter.
• If your pipes freeze and you know where the frozen spot is, wrap the pipe with warm towels, or call EWEB with more tips.
• Never use a flame or hair dryer to thaw frozen pipes.
• If your pipes break, shut off your water using the hand valve. If you cannot get the water turned off, call EWEB’s emergency line at (541) 484-2400.

Get your sprinkler system ready for winter:

• Turn off the system’s main valve, usually located near the water meter.
• Drain and wrap the backflow preventer to avoid freeze damage to the device and any above-ground piping. Leave the ball valves half-open to permit expansion within the valve.
• Open the drain valves. One usually is located near the backflow preventer; others are at low areas in your system. Close the drains after water is discharged to prevent infiltration by rainwater.
• Open the zone valves manually or run the controller at least five minutes per zone to vent the pipes.
• If your backflow prevention device is in a plastic valve box underground, spray the inside of the lid with spray foam insulation to protect it from freezing temperatures.