Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, January 22, 1994 TAG: 9401260407
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Mary Bishop
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
If water's frozen in your lines, leave hot and cold taps turned on slightly while you're home. As the ice melts, water will have somewhere to go and may not burst your pipes.
You may not know if your pipes have burst until water from thawing ice starts flowing from breaks. Turn off your home's water valve - usually in the basement and often near your water heater. Call a plumber and maybe your insurance agent.
If you can't find your water valve, or are unable to reach it, water departments for some local governments will turn off the water at the meter outside. Emergency numbers should be listed in your phone book. Ice has covered some meters and crews are having trouble finding them.
If there's a water break in your ceiling or walls, shut off your electrical breaker to avoid a short.
Be careful is you thaw pipes yourself. Propoane torches can ignite insulation and burn a house down quickly. It's safest to use a space heater or hair dryer, but stay nearby and keep the heat some distance from the pipe.
by CNB