01/22/2026
With temperatures dropping below 0°, here are some tips for avoiding frozen pipes.
How to keep your pipes from freezing during bitter cold
The City of Valparaiso is offering tips for winter-proofing pipes in advance of the cold snap
HOW DO I PROTECT MY PIPES?
*Run a trickle of water from taps which may be subject to freezing.
*Keep cabinet doors below your kitchen or bathroom sinks open to allow heat to circulate.
WHAT ARE THE COMMON REASONS FOR FROZEN PIPES?
*Unheated basement where the water meter and pipes are located.
*Uninsulated pipes running against cold outside walls.
*Open or broken windows near water meters or pipes.
*Openings or cracks allowing cold air to affect the water meter or pipes.
*Water meter and water pipes enclosed or boxed in against outside walls.
HOW WILL I KNOW IF MY PIPES ARE FROZEN?
*Generally, when a pipe feeding a certain fixture such as a shower, sink, or toilet freezes, you’ll be unable to get water from that fixture.
WHY DO FROZEN WATER PIPES BREAK?
When water freezes within a pipe, the volume of water expands. The same amount of water takes up more space as a solid than as a liquid. This causes the pipes to expand and possibly break at a weak point. You may notice this immediately, or it may not become apparent until the pipe begins to thaw with the break occurring only when full water pressure is restored.
DOES THIS APPY TO WATER SERVICE LINES (SERVICE LATERALS RUNNING FROM THE HOUSE TO THE STREET)?
*YES! Water service lines can freeze when the ground frost gets deep enough to encase your service line in ice. However, this generally happens only when your service line is shallower than five feet below the surface of the ground.
WHAT IS A WATER SERVICE LINE?
*A water service line is the pipe which connects to the water main in the street and brings fresh water into your home. This line should have valves on it allowing you to turn the water on or off. The valve is often located in the basement. If you have a slab- foundation house instead of a basement or crawl space, your shut-off valve may be at the point where the water supply pipes come up through the slab. It is a good idea to tag this valve so you can find it quickly in an emergency.
WHICH PARTS OF THESE SERVICE LINES ARE MY RESPONSIBILITY AND WHICH ARE THAT OF THE WATER UTILITY?
*The homeowner’s responsibility for maintenance begins immediately after the curb stop and extends through the entire home. The resident is also responsible for the shut-off valve next to the water meter, although the meter itself is the water utility’s property.
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF MY PIPES FREEZE?
*Your best course of action is to call a professional plumber, as the water utility does not deal with frozen service lines or pipes.
