Goshen Water Utility customers should pay close attention to their water systems over the next few days as temperatures drop into the single digits and below. Although recent excavations have only shown the frost depth to be 1 foot deep, the frost depth will drive deeper with the predicted daytime and nighttime temperatures.
Goshen Utilities has already been contacted by several customers that have experienced water leaks due to broken outside spigots. To prevent this problem at your home or business, remember to remove all hoses and attachments from your outside spigots. For structures that do not have frost-free spigots, customers should shut the spigot’s isolation valve off inside the home and then briefly open the spigot handle to drain any water trapped between the shutoff valve and the spigot.
After buttoning up the water system outside, customers should evaluate other freezing points in their home and make sure adequate precautions are being taken. Some ideas on precautions to be taken are:
1. Keep your heat on and the temperature constant
2. Insulate pipes
3. Open cabinet doors when there is plumbing on outside walls
4. Seal cracks on openings
5. Drip water from your interior faucet
6. Close the garage door to keep heat inside your structure.
A little effort now will save you from plumbing repairs, property damage, and a higher utility bill.