How to keep your pipes from bursting during extreme cold

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A burst pipe could cost you anywhere from a few thousand dollars to, on the high end, $10,000.

Michigan-based heating and cooling company Vredevoogd says there are a few tips and tricks out there that can prevent that from happening.

“Adding insulation is great to pipes, it keeps the heat in the pipes,” Vredevoogd service manager Tad Taggart said.

Taggart is talking about the foam insulation that you can buy at the hardware store for a few dollars. It helps trap the heat for exposed pipes, especially toward exterior walls.

If your power goes out and your source of heat goes out with it, Taggart said running a small trickle out of some faucets can help pipes not freeze over.

“Keeping water moving if your house happens to be without heat for a day or two, opening up your faucet a little bit, just allowing a trickle of water out, can help keep those pipes from freezing,” Taggart said. “It’s a lot harder for moving water to freeze than standing water is.”

Finally, he says keeping the interior air at a consistent temperature is better than adjusting it throughout the day. That keeps the heat where it needs to be and less work the furnace has to do.

“Whatever you’re really comfortable at. The higher you keep it, the more you’re going to pay in the utility bill for that,” Taggart said. “Some people are comfortable at 68—something we see really, really commonly. Other people like it a little cooler. There’s really no specific spot that you have to be at, just whatever you find comfortable.”

Taggart also recommends checking, and changing, your furnace filters if needed. You’ll also want to make sure your furnace’s intake and exhaust are clear from any snow or debris.