In the event your property experiences a water leak, knowing the location of your shut-off valve could save you money on water and damage repairs. 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. (Note: This is different from the shut-off valve in your meter box.)

When temperatures drop below 32 degrees, exposed water pipes can quickly become an owner’s worst nightmare. To reduce the likelihood of freezing, protect exposed pipes by wrapping them with heat tape, pre-molded foam rubber sleeves or fiberglass insulation, available at hardware stores.

This will help prevent outside faucets and pipes from freezing, leaking, or breaking. Make sure to drain and store any garden hoses, too — they can freeze and split.

Allow a trickle of water to drip at night from an indoor faucet, preferably one along an exterior wall or farthest from where the water service connects with the main water line. During extremely cold periods, this trickle should be the size of a pencil point.  Open cabinet doors to expose pipes to warmer room temperatures to help keep them from freezing.

This adds an extra layer of protection to any water lines that may run through the garage area.

To insulate your irrigation system, follow any manufacturer guidelines in preparing for winter. Some general steps that can be taken include:

• Always refer to t he manufacturer’s user manual.
• Shut off the water to the irrigation/sprinkler system.
• Turn off any timers.
• Drain the water.
• Insulate above-ground components.