Take Action: Freeze/Polar Vortex
Is your facility prepared for the imminent threat of polar vortex and freezing temperatures? Preparing for severe weather events and knowing how to respond when they occur can help minimize damage and disruption to your organization.
- Preventative Actions
Insulate and seal penetrations such as those for vents or plumbing, and anywhere piping or wiring goes through an exterior wall. Make sure your pipes are insulated in hard-to-reach places like attics, crawl spaces and along all outside walls. Using specifically designed pipe insulation, wrap the pipes and faucets in unheated or minimally heated areas.Caulk and seal the exterior of your building around windows and doors.Add weatherstripping as needed around doors and windows, making sure you cannot see any daylight from inside the building.Hire a licensed fire protection specialist to conduct routine maintenance on your sprinkler system. Discuss the system’s exposure to winter weather and potential mitigation option. - In the Event of a Freeze
(temps drop below 20 degrees F for more than 24 hours):
If power and/or heat to the building is lost, shut off water in the facility and drain water from pipes. To do this:- Locate the main water valve in the building (often found near the water meter) and shut it off.
- Starting from the topmost floor, open all sink faucets in the building to a trickle to allow air into the system.
- Open tub or shower faucets and flush all toilets.
- Leave faucets in the open position (no water should be coming out except for the occasional drip).
- Fire sprinkler systems will not be turned off or drained.
- Set thermostat temperature above 55 degrees F.
- Once freezing temperatures have passed, keep faucets about one-third open as you turn the main water valve back on SLOWLY, keeping an eye out for any leaks.
- Once water is flowing smoothly, the faucets can be closed.
If shutting off the water to the facility is not an option, faucets should be opened to a drip to prevent burst pipes.If power to the building is lost and your building relies on electronic security systems, arrange for alternate security or consider a generator to power security equipment until power is restored.Periodic inspections of the building and its pipes should be performed.- More frequent inspections should be performed if uninsulated water pipes exist, or there is a lack of a reliable backup power source on the premises.
- Less frequent inspections will be performed with the presence of a reliable backup power source on the premises.
- Check multiple faucets around the building. Are they all off, or just one?
Open doors to cabinets, closets and any other unheated rooms containing water pipes. Remove ceiling tiles to expose ceiling pipes to warmer air from the room.After shutting off water to the building, make sure there is no standing water in the pipes by running all faucets and/or blowing out the lines with compressed air.
- In the Event of a Frozen Pipe
Turn up the heat in the building.Turn on the hot and cold faucets fed by the frozen pipe. If the pipe is accessible, apply heat with heating tape, an electric hair dryer, hot towels or a portable space heater until water running through the faucet returns to full strength. Keep heat sources away from flammable materials and monitor as you thaw the pipe(s). DO NOT use open flames such as a blowtorch or candles.If the frozen pipe is not accessible or you are not able to thaw it, contact a licensed plumber.If a frozen pipe bursts:
- Make sure water to the building is turned off.
- Contact your insurance company.
Consider a CM Sensor.- If you don’t already have a free CM Sensor installed, contact us to increase your protection!
Additional Resources
- Winter Storm & Freeze Preparedness Plan
- Prevent Frozen Sprinklers
- Prepare for Winter Weather
- 10 Essentials of Severe Weather Preparedness
Keeping your organization’s contact information up to date will help us serve you better, especially if we attempt to contact you before, during or after a weather event.
