Waco plumber offers advice for pipe protection ahead of holiday cold snap

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - We are bracing for a cold snap heading into the holiday weekend next week. For some you, you may be traveling and can’t prepare your home the night before. It’s a time when we remember the four P’s: people, plants, pets and pipes.

Craig Johnson with Ryberg Plumbing in Waco says their phones are always ringing with busted pipe repairs this time of year.

“All the time. Usually two days after the freeze is when the pipes start to thaw is when we start getting real busy,” Johnson says.

If you are home, they remind you to prepare your home the night before a significant temperature drop.

“Make sure your pipes are insulated up in the attic or under your house if you live in a pier and beam. Also, when it does freeze, make sure you keep those faucets on a drip so the water doesn’t freeze up in the pipes,” Johnson advises.

But with a lot of families expecting to travel during this time, you may want to take extra precautions if you won’t be able to prepare your home the night before.

“If you have a shut off valve to the house you can definitely shut the water off. That way if anything does burst, it won’t leak all over the floor,” Johnson says.

Johnson adds that it doesn’t take a lot of water to cause a lot of damage so you would rather be safe than be sorry.

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