Don’t Let Cold Weather Catch You Unprepared! ❄️

As we all know, winters in Wisconsin can get incredibly frigid. The Village of Merrillan wants to ensure all residents, landlords, and business owners are prepared.

Extreme cold can freeze the water meters and pipes inside your property. When water freezes, it expands, causing pipes to crack or burst. This leads to serious water damage and expensive repairs. Please remember: Homeowners and business owners are responsible for the maintenance and repair of all internal plumbing and the cost of replacing damaged water meters.

Protect Your Water System

Insulate Exposed Pipes: Wrap pipes in unheated areas (basements, crawl spaces, attics, or garages) with foam sleeves or heat tape.

Seal Drafts: Check for cold air leaks near your water meter or pipes. Ensure basement windows and doors are closed tightly and weather-strip any gaps.

Keep Heat Circulating: Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls to allow household heat to reach the plumbing.

Let it Drip: During periods of extreme or prolonged cold (below 20°F), allow a thin stream of water—about the size of a pencil lead—to run from the faucet farthest from the meter. Moving water is much harder to freeze.

Manage Your Heating

Set a Minimum Temperature: Never turn your heat off completely. Keep thermostats set to at least 55°F throughout the home.

Heat Vulnerable Areas: Ensure basements and crawl spaces where meters are located stay at or above 50°F.

Identify Your Shut-off: Locate your master water shut-off valve now. If a pipe bursts, turning this valve off immediately can prevent thousands of dollars in water damage.

Special Care for Vacant Properties

Unoccupied buildings are at the highest risk for undetected pipe bursts.

Regular Checks: If a property is vacant, it should be checked daily to ensure the heating system is functioning.

Long-term Vacancy: For properties vacant for the season, we recommend having the water service turned off at the street, the meter removed, and all fixtures professionally winterized.

Water Heaters: If you drain your system, remember to turn off the power or gas supply to your water heater first.

If a Pipe Freezes

Thaw Safely: If you have no water or a slight trickle, use a hair dryer or heating pad to gently warm the pipe.

DO NOT use an open flame: Never use a blowtorch or kerosene heater to thaw pipes. This is a major fire hazard and can cause the pipe to explode.

Keep Faucets Open: While thawing, keep the faucet open so steam and water can escape as the ice melts.

Questions?

If you have concerns about winterizing your home or need to report a utility issue, please contact the Village of Merrillan offices. Take these precautions now to avoid the inconvenience and expense of winter pipe damage!