Winter Plumbing Checklist Marysville WA Pinewood WA: Do It Before the Freeze
Before the first hard freeze, do five things: drain hoses, cover hose bibs, wrap exposed pipes, find your main shutoff, and open cabinets on exterior walls.
Do these five things before the first hard freeze: drain the hoses, cover the hose bibs, wrap pipes in unheated spaces, find your main shutoff, and open sink cabinets on exterior walls when it gets cold.
That is the core of any winter plumbing checklist Marysville WA Pinewood WA homeowners need. The full list is below, with the reasons behind each item.
Call (360) 925-8015 now if a pipe has already frozen or split. Shut off the main first, then tell us your address and we give you the arrival window on the phone.
Call (360) 925-8015
Why Pinewood pipes got tested in January 2024
Local proof beats general advice. On January 14 and 15, 2024, record cold hit Snohomish County. The National Weather Service recorded 7 degrees in Arlington, and pipes burst at schools in Stanwood, Lake Stevens and Lynnwood. The school district said pipes near or inside exterior walls were the ones damaged. Everett Fire took 27 calls in about a day, mostly broken water pipes, per HeraldNet's report on the frozen school pipes.
Those were not Marysville buildings, and we will not pretend they were. They are a nearby example of what a hard freeze does to plumbing in this region. A winter plumbing checklist Marysville WA in Pinewood WA has to cover that same physics. Your rambler on 52nd Ave NE has it: exterior walls, a crawl space, and a garage that never gets warm.
Before the cold: the ten-item Pinewood checklist
Work through this winter plumbing checklist Marysville WA 98270 homes can finish in a weekend, in October or November, on a dry day:
- Disconnect every garden hose and drain it. A hose left on a bib holds water against the faucet.
- Cover outdoor hose bibs. Snohomish County PUD suggests insulating outside faucets and backflow devices with rags or newspaper, covered in plastic and tied on.
- Winterize irrigation. Drain the sprinkler lines and close the valve to any outdoor line.
- Insulate pipes in unheated spaces. That means crawl spaces, garages and attics. Foam sleeves are cheap. UL-listed heat tape suits the worst spots.
- Find your main shutoff. Test it. A valve that will not turn is a problem to learn about in October.
- Seal gaps where cold air blows across crawl space pipes.
- Check the garage. A water heater or supply line in a cold garage needs insulation and a closed door.
- Look at the pipes in exterior walls. Kitchen and bath sinks on outside walls freeze first.
- Look at the water heater. Fix any leak or noise now, not at 6 a.m. in a cold snap.
- Save two numbers: ours, and the City's after-hours utility line at 360-363-8350.
That last one matters when the problem is the City's side of the meter.
When the forecast says freeze: what to do that night
You have a few hours. Use them. Knowing how to prevent frozen pipes Marysville WA Pinewood WA winters test comes down to four moves:
- Let a cold tap drip at an inside faucet. Snohomish County PUD says a steady drip keeps water moving, which makes freezing less likely.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so room heat reaches the pipes.
- Keep the thermostat steady day and night. The Red Cross advises the same temperature both day and night during a freeze.
- Keep the garage door closed.
These steps cost a few gallons and a little heat. A split pipe costs a lot more. See our frozen pipe repair page for what we do when the cold wins anyway.
At what temperature will house pipes freeze?
Water freezes at 32 degrees, but pipes in a heated house usually hold longer. Allstate says pipes risk freezing at 32 and most commonly freeze at 20 degrees and below. Unheated spaces, exterior walls and long, wind-blown runs go first.
Duration matters, too. A one-night dip in the low 20s is a different risk than three nights in the teens. A weather model site puts the December average low in Marysville in the mid-30s, so hard freezes are the exception. When one comes, many houses are not ready. That is why the checklist works.
Windstorms, outages and cold pipes
Pinewood's other winter risk is power. During the November 2022 windstorm, as many as 190,000 Snohomish County PUD customers lost power at the peak, and a shelter was listed at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on 51st Ave NE, per HeraldNet's outage report.
If the furnace is off during a freeze, the house cools. Cover the hose bibs, open the cabinet doors, and drip a tap. If the outage runs long and the cold is severe, shutting off the main and draining the lines is a safer way to protect the house than hoping. The Marysville winter weather page points residents to PUD guidance on protecting pipes in garages, crawl spaces and attics.
What if a pipe freezes anyway?
Turn on the faucet, so melting water has somewhere to go. Then heat the pipe with a hair dryer, a heating pad or a space heater. Never use an open flame. Start near the faucet and work back toward the frozen spot.
Will shutting off water keep pipes from freezing? Not by itself. Water left inside can still freeze. Shutting the main limits the flood if a pipe splits, and opening the taps afterward drains what is left. For a longer trip, our winter break shutoff checklist has the steps.
Pipes can burst while frozen or after thawing, so look for wet drywall, stains and a running meter once things warm up. Not sure? Read is a burst pipe an emergency, or call us. Our burst pipe repair page explains what happens next.
Leaving town for a freeze: the drained-house method
Here is how to keep pipes from freezing 98270 residents can copy on a long trip. Leave the heat on, no lower than 55 degrees. For a longer absence, Snohomish County PUD says to shut off the water supply, open all faucets to drain the pipes, and flush a toilet once. Turn off the water heater first. It is the safest method for a long absence.
You do not need to do this for a weekend if the forecast is mild. Do it if the forecast shows several nights near freezing. Print this winter plumbing checklist Marysville WA Pinewood Marysville WA homeowners can keep on the fridge. The rest of what we do is on our homepage.
Questions Pinewood homeowners ask before a freeze
Should I leave my taps dripping when it freezes?
Yes, on a real freeze. Snohomish County PUD advises a steady cold drip at an inside faucet, since moving water freezes less easily. Open the cabinet below it too. A small drip costs far less than a split pipe.
How do I find my main water shutoff?
Look where the supply enters the house: a basement wall, a crawl space, a garage, or beside the water heater. It may also be in a box at the street. Turn it a few times now. If it is stiff or leaking, tell us on the call.
Do frozen pipes always burst?
No. Ice can block a pipe without splitting it, but the damage may show only after thawing. Roto-Rooter notes that pipes can burst frozen or after thawing. After a hard freeze, check walls and ceilings for wet spots and watch the meter with everything off.
Who do I call if there is no water after a freeze?
Check your own pipes first, then call your water utility to confirm water reaches your meter. In Marysville, use the City's Public Works line at 360-363-8100, or 360-363-8350 after hours. If water reaches the meter and not your taps, call us.
Should I shut off the water when I leave for winter break?
For a few days in mild weather, you may not need to. For a longer trip, or a cold forecast, shut off the main, drain the lines and turn off the water heater first. Keep the heat on at 55 or higher, per Snohomish County PUD.
Call (360) 925-8015 now. Tell us what froze or what worries you, and we give you the next step, plus the arrival window, on the phone.
Call (360) 925-8015