WEBVTT - Can a Dripping Faucet Really Prevent Pipe Damage?

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of I Heart Radio,

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<v Speaker 1>Hey brain Stuff Lauren Vogel bamb here. How much value

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<v Speaker 1>does one dripping faucet have a lot if it keeps

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<v Speaker 1>your homes water pipes from bursting during frigid weather. Burst

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<v Speaker 1>pipes are one of the most common causes of property

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<v Speaker 1>damage during about of freezing temperatures, with homeowner claims averaging

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<v Speaker 1>more than ten thousand dollars. The cost of a water

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<v Speaker 1>leak from frozen pipes is even higher for business owners,

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<v Speaker 1>where claims average about twenty seven thousand dollars but can

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<v Speaker 1>occasionally reach into the millions. But can one dripping faucet

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<v Speaker 1>really save the day? It can if it's the right one.

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<v Speaker 1>The dripping faucet should be as far away from the

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<v Speaker 1>water source as possible so that the water will flow

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<v Speaker 1>through the entire length of the system. If you aren't

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<v Speaker 1>sure where the incoming water source is located, setting any

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<v Speaker 1>faucet to drip will help. A common misconception is that

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<v Speaker 1>drip prevents water from freezing because it stays in motion

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<v Speaker 1>when it's running through the pipes. Although this does help,

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<v Speaker 1>the truth is that at extreme temperatures, water can freeze

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<v Speaker 1>even while it's flowing. The real reason that a dripping

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<v Speaker 1>faucet can help prevent pipes from bursting is that the

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<v Speaker 1>constant drip relieves the pressure that can build up in

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<v Speaker 1>the pipes between the ice blockage and the faucet, and

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<v Speaker 1>thus helps to prevent them from bursting when the pipes

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<v Speaker 1>begin to thaw. Pipe joints are especially vulnerable. The water,

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<v Speaker 1>which is very unusual in that it expands as it freezes,

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<v Speaker 1>can stress metal or plastic pipes at almost any point.

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<v Speaker 1>The pipes become damaged during the freeze, but don't begin

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<v Speaker 1>to wreak havoc until they thaw. The combined pressure of

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<v Speaker 1>the expanding and shrinking ice blockage and the increasing water

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<v Speaker 1>pressure behind it can cause pipes to leak or burst.

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<v Speaker 1>This is why you'll always want to leave a faucet

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<v Speaker 1>on if a pipe is frozen completely, even if there's

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<v Speaker 1>not an of water flow for a drip. When that

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<v Speaker 1>ice thaws, the water needs somewhere to go in order

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<v Speaker 1>to relieve that pent up pressure. When a cold snap

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<v Speaker 1>hovers around or below twenty degrees fahrenheit that's negative six celsius,

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<v Speaker 1>it's time to let at least one faucet drip. Pay

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<v Speaker 1>close attention to water pipes that are in attics, garages, basements,

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<v Speaker 1>or crawl spaces, because temperatures in these unheated interior spaces

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<v Speaker 1>will be closer to outdoor temperatures. Likewise, you'll want to

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<v Speaker 1>keep an eye on pipes that run along exterior walls

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<v Speaker 1>and make sure they have additional insulation. Also, when faucets

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<v Speaker 1>are located in a base cabinet in a kitchen or bathroom,

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<v Speaker 1>open the cabinet doors to allow the home's warmer air

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<v Speaker 1>to reach the pipes. This is especially important if the

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<v Speaker 1>sink is located along an exterior wall. It's also a

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<v Speaker 1>good idea to know where the main shut off valve

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<v Speaker 1>is in your home in case a pipe does burst

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<v Speaker 1>or leak. Usually, this main shut valve is located where

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<v Speaker 1>the main water line enters the house. However, it could

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<v Speaker 1>be located near the exterior water meter. If you know

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<v Speaker 1>how to quickly shut off this water source, it could

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<v Speaker 1>turn a huge flooding disaster into a relatively minor inconvenience. Also,

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<v Speaker 1>should you choose to escape to warmer climbs during the

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<v Speaker 1>wintry months, don't forget to turn off the water main

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<v Speaker 1>before you head out. Today's episode was written by Laura L.

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<v Speaker 1>Dove and produced by Tyler Clang. For more on this

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<v Speaker 1>and lots of other flowing topics, visit House to forks

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<v Speaker 1>dot com. Brain Stuff is production of iHeart Radio or

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<v Speaker 1>more podcasts to my heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app,

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