Your pipes are at risk for freezing as super-cold temperature hits NJ

The beginning of 2022 has been a frigid, snowy one, so far giving us all a wake-up call to prepare for whatever the rest of the winter season may bring.

There should be a particular focus on the pipes and water inside your homes.

"Water damage can be some of the most common and costly damage that a homeowner can experience. Nationally, non-flood related water damage is the second most common and third most expensive causes of property damage for homeowners," Jim Mastrokalos, SUEZ director of operations in Toms River, said.

The damage water can do to your come could come up as a surprise, so it's important to lower the risk of anything happening by getting ahead of the game.

"We really want to focus on being preventative, not having those pipes freeze so customers do not have unfortunate expenses and property damage to their home," Mastrokalos said. "It could be the result of a bursted pipe in the home or even outside the home. As the water freezes, the ice expands and a significant amount of pressure builds up in the pipe. Eventually, that pressure builds up so much that it will burst the pipe."

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Now is the time to take preventative action to ensure everything stays in tact and flowing along starting with a key step to take before winter or right now.

"The first thing that they should do is disconnect all of their garden hoses connections as the water gets colder and colder, make sure that the faucet is turned off and also isolated and blown out," Mastrokalos said.

"You should also plan, if (you're) going to take extended periods away from (you're) home, they should always leave the temperature at a minimal setting, at least 60-degrees, to ensure that the home doesn't get too cold and even if there (is) plumbing on the exterior walls that they leave the cabinet doors open so the ambient temperature can be warm enough to keep the exterior piping from freezing."

You should also pay attention to water pipes in the attic, garage, basement and crawl spaces.

"This is a critical place in which piping is exposed to temperatures that can freeze the pipes, especially on colder nights and windier days. Wind impacts the unprotected piping significantly," Mastrokalos said.

It's also important, he adds, to know where your shut-off valves are as well at home.

While preparing as much as you possibly can is the best bet now, should something come up, you can always call SUEZ for advice and possible in-person consolation to address any issues by calling their customer service line at 877-565-1456 or by going to www.mysuezwater.com.

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