For Inside and Outside Your Home

VOORHEES, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As winter quickly approaches and temperatures continue to fall, New
Jersey American Water wants to remind homeowners to protect their pipes
from frigid winter weather to prevent costly plumbing repairs.

“The best strategy in combating the cold winter months is a proactive
one,” said Kevin Kirwan, vice president of Operations for New Jersey
American Water. “Taking certain preventive measures to winterize homes
and learning how to properly maintain and conserve resources,
particularly during the cold weather months, can help prevent pipes and
meters from freezing in your home and causing larger problems in the
long term.”

New Jersey American Water encourages its customers to take the following
precautions to reduce
the risk of freezing pipes that can burst.

Preparing for cold weather

• Make sure everyone in your home knows where the main water shut-off
  valve is located so you can turn off the water in an emergency. When
  you locate the valve, mark it with an identification tag. The valve is
  typically located where the water line enters the home. This could be
  in the basement, crawlspace, or utility closet.
• Check for pipes that pass through unheated spaces or rooms, such as
  crawlspaces, basements, garages, or uninsulated exterior walls.
  Protect exposed pipes by wrapping them with heat tape, pre-molded foam
  rubber sleeves or fiberglass insulation, available at hardware stores.
  If you have installed heat tape on exposed pipes, inspect the tape for
  cracks or fraying and make any needed repairs.
• If your water meter is outside, make sure your meter lid is closed
  tightly.
• Eliminate sources of cold air near pipes by sealing openings or cracks
  that could cause drafts. Close air vents in crawlspaces.
• Drain all outdoor garden hoses, roll them up and store them inside to
  prevent cracking. If you have an indoor valve for the outside
  faucet(s), shut it off and drain water from pipes leading to the
  faucet(s).
• Turn off and drain your irrigation system.

When temperatures consistently fall below freezing

• For kitchen or other sinks up against cold, exterior walls, open
  cabinets to let warm air in your home reach the pipes.
• Allow a small trickle of water to run overnight to keep pipes from
  freezing. The cost of the extra water is typically lower than the cost
  of repairing a broken pipe.
• If your pipes do freeze, shut off the water immediately. Don’t attempt
  to thaw frozen pipes unless the water is shut off.
• Freezing can often cause unseen cracks in pipes or joints that will
  leak when thawed.
• Apply heat to a frozen pipe by warming the air around it. Avoid the
  use of kerosene heaters or open flames.
• Once the pipes have thawed, slowly turn the water back on and check
  for cracks and leaks.

If you are going away

• If you are going to be away, leave your thermostat at 55 degrees to
  prevent freezing pipes. If your water meter is located in your home
  and freezes, the homeowner/business is responsible for the cost to
  replace or repair the meter.
• Have a friend, relative or neighbor regularly check your property to
  ensure that the heat is working and the pipes have not frozen.
• A freeze alarm can also be purchased for less than $100 and will call
  a user-selected phone number if the inside temperature drops below 45
  degrees.
• If no one will be home for an extended period of time during extreme
  winter weather, consider contacting New Jersey American Water at
  800-272-1325 to turn your water off and hire a plumber to drain your
  system. That way, if your furnace stops working, there will be no
  water in your pipes to freeze.

Report Leaking Pipes

New Jersey American Water also advises that sub-freezing temperatures
can hasten aging water mains to break and cause unsafe driving
conditions. If you see a leak, or your water service is disrupted,
please contact the company’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-272-1325.

More information is available in the Learning
Center on the company’s website at www.newjerseyamwater.com,
or on its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/njamwater.

New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, is the
largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing
high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to
approximately 2.7 million people. American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the
largest and most geographically diverse publicly traded U.S. water and
wastewater utility company. Marking its 130th anniversary this year, the
company employs 6,700 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and
market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an
estimated 15 million people in 47 states and Ontario, Canada. More
information can be found by visiting www.amwater.com.

Contacts

New Jersey American Water
MEDIA CONTACT:
Denise Venuti Free
Director
of Communications and External Affairs
856-782-2316
denise.free@amwater.com
www.newjerseyamwater.com