1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of I Heart Radio, 2 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:10,640 Speaker 1: Hey brain Stuff Lauren Vogel bamb here. How much value 3 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 1: does one dripping faucet have a lot if it keeps 4 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: your homes water pipes from bursting during frigid weather. Burst 5 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 1: pipes are one of the most common causes of property 6 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:25,320 Speaker 1: damage during about of freezing temperatures, with homeowner claims averaging 7 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: more than ten thousand dollars. The cost of a water 8 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: leak from frozen pipes is even higher for business owners, 9 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: where claims average about twenty seven thousand dollars but can 10 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 1: occasionally reach into the millions. But can one dripping faucet 11 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:43,640 Speaker 1: really save the day? It can if it's the right one. 12 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:46,600 Speaker 1: The dripping faucet should be as far away from the 13 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:49,200 Speaker 1: water source as possible so that the water will flow 14 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 1: through the entire length of the system. If you aren't 15 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: sure where the incoming water source is located, setting any 16 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: faucet to drip will help. A common misconception is that 17 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: drip prevents water from freezing because it stays in motion 18 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: when it's running through the pipes. Although this does help, 19 00:01:06,480 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 1: the truth is that at extreme temperatures, water can freeze 20 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 1: even while it's flowing. The real reason that a dripping 21 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:15,679 Speaker 1: faucet can help prevent pipes from bursting is that the 22 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:18,680 Speaker 1: constant drip relieves the pressure that can build up in 23 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,160 Speaker 1: the pipes between the ice blockage and the faucet, and 24 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,960 Speaker 1: thus helps to prevent them from bursting when the pipes 25 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: begin to thaw. Pipe joints are especially vulnerable. The water, 26 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:34,119 Speaker 1: which is very unusual in that it expands as it freezes, 27 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 1: can stress metal or plastic pipes at almost any point. 28 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:42,160 Speaker 1: The pipes become damaged during the freeze, but don't begin 29 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:45,840 Speaker 1: to wreak havoc until they thaw. The combined pressure of 30 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: the expanding and shrinking ice blockage and the increasing water 31 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: pressure behind it can cause pipes to leak or burst. 32 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: This is why you'll always want to leave a faucet 33 00:01:56,640 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: on if a pipe is frozen completely, even if there's 34 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 1: not an of water flow for a drip. When that 35 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: ice thaws, the water needs somewhere to go in order 36 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 1: to relieve that pent up pressure. When a cold snap 37 00:02:09,120 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 1: hovers around or below twenty degrees fahrenheit that's negative six celsius, 38 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: it's time to let at least one faucet drip. Pay 39 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: close attention to water pipes that are in attics, garages, basements, 40 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: or crawl spaces, because temperatures in these unheated interior spaces 41 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:29,480 Speaker 1: will be closer to outdoor temperatures. Likewise, you'll want to 42 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: keep an eye on pipes that run along exterior walls 43 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:37,119 Speaker 1: and make sure they have additional insulation. Also, when faucets 44 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: are located in a base cabinet in a kitchen or bathroom, 45 00:02:40,560 --> 00:02:43,560 Speaker 1: open the cabinet doors to allow the home's warmer air 46 00:02:43,760 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: to reach the pipes. This is especially important if the 47 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 1: sink is located along an exterior wall. It's also a 48 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: good idea to know where the main shut off valve 49 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:57,320 Speaker 1: is in your home in case a pipe does burst 50 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 1: or leak. Usually, this main shut valve is located where 51 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: the main water line enters the house. However, it could 52 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:08,400 Speaker 1: be located near the exterior water meter. If you know 53 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 1: how to quickly shut off this water source, it could 54 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 1: turn a huge flooding disaster into a relatively minor inconvenience. Also, 55 00:03:16,919 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 1: should you choose to escape to warmer climbs during the 56 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 1: wintry months, don't forget to turn off the water main 57 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:31,079 Speaker 1: before you head out. Today's episode was written by Laura L. 58 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 1: Dove and produced by Tyler Clang. For more on this 59 00:03:33,760 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 1: and lots of other flowing topics, visit House to forks 60 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 1: dot com. Brain Stuff is production of iHeart Radio or 61 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,920 Speaker 1: more podcasts to my heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, 62 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.