INDIANAPOLIS — As temperatures drop to bitterly cold lows over the next several days, there are things you can do to safeguard your house against costly repairs.
If your water pipes burst, claims cost thousands of dollars.
Over the past year, State Farm said Indiana ranked 15th in frozen pipe claims for the company, with over $19.9 million paid for 975 claims.
There are a few things you can do to try and prevent possible damages.
A good place to start is disconnecting the garden hose.
Jeremy Worland, with Isley Plumbing, said it is also a good idea to seal the edges of the hose bib with a small silicone beading.
"I like to see silicone around the outside of this and underneath there, because, again, it's not necessarily the temperature, it's the wind that's coming into it," Worland said.
If there is a steady drip after you disconnect the hose, you may want to shut off the water line leading to the hose.
After the leak is corrected, a small cover can be placed over the outside faucet.
Next, locate your home's water meter outside and the shutoff valves inside just in case there is a problem.
Once you locate the shutoffs, make sure the valves turn on and off.
"In line with the pipe is on," Worland said, "and across the pipe is off."
If your water softener is in the garage, he suggests throwing a blanket on top of it.
"We want the piping to not see cold air," Worland said.
It is also important to keep your garage door closed.
Once the cold wind arrives, leave open the kitchen cabinets sharing an outside wall.
"It'll allow for the air flow to come in, go out. It keeps the house temperature," Worland said.
If you have young kids, make sure any cleaning supplies are put in another location.
Homeowners should also drip any kitchen or bathroom faucets that share an outside wall.
"Moving water, it's like a river," Worland said. "With the valve shut off, you now have a lake."
And lakes freeze.
These are tips to keep in mind so your home is prepped for the cold weather ahead.