00:00 Big news, the streak is over in DC.
00:02 With bitter cold temperatures impacting millions of people right now, you might find yourself
00:06 dealing with frozen water pipes.
00:09 Emmy Victor is live in Chicago with how to avoid those costly repairs.
00:13 Emmy?
00:14 Yeah, Kevin, you know, we don't like the cold, but neither do our water pipes.
00:20 When extremely cold temperatures arrive, the water pipes right underneath our kitchen and
00:24 bathroom sinks are particularly vulnerable.
00:27 Now, there are many reasons why that your pipe may freeze, but some of the most common
00:31 causes include quick drops in temperature, poorly insulated areas, and thermostats that
00:37 are set too low.
00:39 When water freezes in pipes, they can burst and flood your home.
00:42 To avoid some of this water damage, turn off the water supply to your home as soon as possible,
00:48 and it may be located in your basement, garage, or laundry room.
00:53 Many people have no idea where it is in their home, and if pipes do happen to burst, one
00:58 of the first things you want to do is make sure you're shutting off the water so you're
01:01 not flooding your entire house.
01:03 If you don't know where that is, and you're in panic mode because your house is being
01:09 flooded, it makes it much more challenging too, and it could potentially do even more
01:14 damage.
01:15 Well, there are ways to prevent frozen pipes from bursting.
01:21 You want to pay attention to any warning signs, like water stains or discolored water.
01:26 And if you do find a frozen pipe, try not to use a torch or anything that can cause
01:30 a fire to thaw it.
01:32 With caution, you can try to use a hair dryer though, but most of the time, the best thing
01:36 to do is call a plumber who can safely thaw it for you.
01:40 Kevin?
01:41 Yeah, nobody wants a broken, busted pipe there.
01:44 It causes so many problems, and it can be dangerous too.
01:46 Thanks for that report from the Windy City, Emmy Victor.
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