It is a pretty cold start this morning with most folks waking up around 25 to 30 degrees. Hopefully everyone took care of the Four Ps last night and aren’t waking up to a wilted plant or a busted pipe.
We will ahve another night tonight of some cold temperatures. And really, tonight is the night I am most worried about pipes bursting. I have a post running the numbers on pipe bursts, and tonight temperatures are going to be low for long enough for uninsulated, exposed 3/4″ pipes to freeze – and potentially burst – in a single night.
And the same goes if you have 1/2″ water pipes. And those will freeze even faster.
Temperatures tonight will ease back to around freezing by 10p and be there until about 8a tomorrow morning.
So, if you have a spigot on the side of your house, and it isn’t wrapped or covered, you may want to run to the store. If you are on a raised foundation and none of your pipes under your house are insulated, you also may want to run to the store.
How do you know if you have 1/2″ or 3/4″ pipes? I think – and I’m no plumber, perhaps a plumber could comment below with some thoughts – most homes are 1/2″ pipe. The supply pipes from the street tend to be 3/4″ pipes.
But if either are exposed to open air, they need to be insulated.
Temperatures will moderate as we move through the week with the next chance for rain swinging through Monday night and Tuesday.
Day to Day Forecast
Today
Widespread frost in the morning. Sunny. Highs in the upper 40s.
Tonight
Clear. Lows in the mid 20s. Northwest winds around 5 mph. Wind chill readings 15 to 20.
Sunday
Sunny. Highs in the mid 50s.
Sunday Night
Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 20s.
Monday
Mostly sunny in the morning then becoming partly cloudy. Highs in the upper 50s.
Monday Night
Cloudy with rain possible. Warmer. Lows in the lower 40s. The chance of rain 60 percent.
Tuesday
A 50 percent chance of showers in the morning. Mostly cloudy. Highs in the mid 50s.
Tuesday Night
Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 30s.
Wednesday
Partly cloudy. Highs around 50.
Wednesday Night
Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 20s.
Thursday
Sunny. Highs in the lower 50s.
Thursday Night
Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s.
Friday
Sunny. Highs in the mid 50s.
I’m not a plumber but I did want to comment that your post on temperatures and pipes was helpful to me. I did have an exterior pipe burst some years ago, though it was probably my fault. I did drip it overnight, but when I opened it in the morning, nothing came out, so I closed it back down. It’s often the re-closing that bursts the pipe, because you’ve first lowered pressure (so more water can come in?) then you increase pressure significantly. Whatever the case, it was an expensive lesson; I now insulate, drip, and make sure not to close the faucet back down if nothing comes out in the morning.