When Pipes Freeze Or There Is A Boil Water Notice
Last week’s winter storm has set new records for cold weather and challenged San Antonio. Below are some common questions we are getting along with our suggestions.
If I have a Reverse Osmosis system do I still need to boil my water?
Yes! Reverse Osmosis is very effective at reducing pathogens if operating optimally. We advise an abundance of caution and recommend boiling water even after the water goes through a RO anytime there is a boil advisory.
Is there anything I need to do to my Reverse Osmosis System once the boil advisory is no longer in effect?
We recommend sanitizing your media bed and replacing your RO filters as cautionary maintenance after a boil event. If you would like one of our technicians to come out and take care of this for you, please call our office to schedule an appointment.
Should I put my softener on bypass during boil advisories?
Right now there is still a chance that we will have lines freezing and it maybe past the point where bypassing would do any good. For now, it is probably best to leave your system in service until we are certain that the risk of freezing has passed. We absolutely advise sanitizing the system post event and in some cases, we may suggest changing out the media if there was an extreme cross contamination event.
Should we shut off water to our home?
Should your home be without power for extended periods of time, and your internal temperature drops to less than 50 degrees, we strongly recommend shutting off the water to your home and draining your water to prevent your pipes from freezing inside of home. Tip: make sure you have tools handy and know where to shut your water off in advance.
I have no water, how do I know that my plumbing was properly insulated
. Unfortunately 100s of 1000s are without water and power right now. This extreme weather event has frozen lines and burst pipes in homes regardless of precautions taken by plumbers to prevent. Homeowners are essential lines of defense and should take proactive approaches when hard freezes are forecast. Common best practices include dripping faucets, heating well houses, and covering exposed pipes with additional protection. Unfortunately, even if all these precautions are taken there still can be lines that freeze.
Can you repair my broken line right now and get my water back up and going?
Unfortunately with temperatures so low many types of plumbing materials will not join properly and repairs may not hold. Additionally, there may be more issues that have not exposed themselves because we are still experiencing freezing temperatures. Pipes may be frozen in walls or attics, and bringing service back up may increase potential for damage. We are shutting down all water repairs for the time being until we can safely ensure no additional damage exists.
As always, please feel free to get in contact with us here or by calling Alamo Water Softeners in San Antonio today at (210) 274-6122.
