City of Blue Island Think Outside the Loop
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Every winter, Blue Islanders spend big money repairing damage caused by frozen pipes that have burst. The Blue Island Water Department would like to remind you that there are some simple steps that you can take to prevent pipes from freezing:
1. Maintain proper heat in their homes; particularly in basement, crawl spaces or closets that house a water service.
2. Insulate pipes, particularly those outside or on the perimeter of the residence.
3. Run a trickle of cold water on each floor of the home at the points furthest from the location of the main water service into the home.
4. Make sure that there is warm air circulating in any area where there are water pipes. This includes garages and unheated areas of the home.
5. Remove all garden hoses from hose bibbs, cover the bibbs with Styrofoam hose bibb insulating caps and shut off control valves for hose bibbs.
6. Make sure there are no broken windows or other sources to allow cold winter air to enter.
IF PIPES FREEZE, DO NOT THAW USING CANDLES OR ANY OPEN FLAME. INSTEAD, PLEASE USE A HAIR DRYER OR HEATING PAD.
For more information, visit www.blueisland.org/water-and-sewer-department
