Extreme Cold Means Pipes Could Freeze And Burst, City Warns. Here’s How To Prevent That

CHICAGO — The city is facing extreme cold — which means there’s a risk of people’s water pipes freezing and bursting.

Chicago will only see temperatures in the teens Thursday and Friday, and it’ll feel even colder with the wind chill, according to the National Weather Service. Chilly temperatures are expected again after the weekend.

But there are ways to prevent your pipes from freezing and to safely thaw them, according to a Department of Water Management news release.

Here are the city’s tips:

• Keep your home adequately heated.
• Make sure warm air can circulate under cabinets and in areas where there is plumbing on the outside walls.
• Keep a trickle of water running at the faucet furthest from where the main water line enters your home.

If you do have a pipe freeze, you can use a blowdryer or a heating pad to thaw it out, according to the Department of Water Management. You should not use an open flame, like a lighter, to try thawing the pipe.

Subscribe to Block Club Chicago, an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods.

Click here to support Block Club with a tax-deductible donation. 

Thanks for subscribing to Block Club Chicago, an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods. Click here to support Block Club with a tax-deductible donation.

Listen to “It’s All Good: A Block Club Chicago Podcast” here: