Missouri American Water wants to remind property owners that they are responsible for maintenance of indoor pipes within their residence or business, as well as the water service line running from the outdoor water meter or property line to the house/business. Missouri American Water encourages customers to take the following precautions to reduce the risk of freezing and bursting pipes.

Before frigid weather sets in:

• Know the location of your main water shut-off valve. If a pipe freezes or bursts, you’ll want to shut the water off immediately.
• Protect your pipes by wrapping them with insulation.
• Know which areas in your home are most vulnerable to freezing, such as basements, crawl spaces, unheated rooms, and outside walls.
• Eliminate cold air sources near water lines by repairing broken windows, insulating walls, closing off crawl spaces, and eliminating drafts near doors.

When temperatures are consistently at or below freezing:

• Allow a small trickle of water from both your cold and hot water faucets to run overnight to keep pipes and meters from freezing. The cost of the extra water is low compared to the cost to repair a broken pipe. Customers should implement wise water use practices and collect the running water for later use, like watering indoor plants or cooking.
• Open cabinet doors to expose pipes to warmer room temperatures to help keep them from freezing, although be careful not to create a tripping hazard.

If your pipes do freeze:

• Shut off the water immediately. Don’t attempt to thaw pipes without turning off the main shut-off valve.
• Thaw pipes with warm air. Melt the frozen water in the pipe by warming the air around it. Be sure not to leave space heaters unattended and avoid the use of kerosene heaters or open flames.
• Be careful turning the water back on. Once pipes are thawed, slowly turn the water back on and check pipes and joints for any cracks or leaks that might have been caused by freezing.