Cold weather brings safety awareness and precautions for residents

Published 11:03 am Thursday, December 22, 2022

As local residents prepare for the first real cold spell of the winter, there are several precautions that residents can take to be well prepared and ready for the frigid temperatures and any associated snow that the area receives this winter.

With the Christmas weekend forecast calling for temperatures dipping below zero with the wind chills, the following information has been provided to help area residents be ready.

According to Elizabethton Water Resources General Manager Jonathan Pleasant, there are a few things that customers can do to help prevent problems during periods of very cold weather.

“If there are any portions of their plumbing that are exposed to the weather, especially where their lateral comes into the home, the best protection is insulation or making sure to cover as much exposed pipe as possible,” Pleasant said. “Heat tapes and pipe insulation are available at most of the hardware stores, but this wouldn’t be necessary indoors or where the pipe is adequately protected underground or by foundation insulation or underpinning.”

Pleasant went on to add that if residents are concerned about it getting too cold inside the home or during power outages, they need to slightly turn on one of the faucets in the home to allow for some movement of water through the pipes. By doing so, the pipe friction increases and helps to reduce the chances of freezing in the line. If the home is large or has fixtures that are far apart, residents may want to turn on a couple of faucets.

“Customers may also place insulation in their meter box itself, especially if the meter is less than 18 inches deep or there has been a history of freezing,” Pleasant said. “As with anything at the connection point to the city, they can contact the office at 423-547-6300 if they have questions or if there are any issues with their service.”