Do you really need to drip your faucet? What to do as SC temps turn dangerously cold

With several nights below freezing forecasted in northeastern South Carolina this week, people and pets aren’t the only ones at risk. Plunging temperatures can wreak havoc on plumbing.

Horry County has been placed under a cold weather advisory by the National Weather Service for Monday night through Tuesday morning. Wind chills are expected to be between 10 degrees to 15 degrees.

Dangerously cold wind chill values are possible for at least a portion of the Myrtle Beach area every night this week, the NWS said.

To see how residents can protect their homes in this week’s freeze, The Sun News spoke with Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority about best practices.

But can all those people running their water to help prevent pipe freeze also cause problems with the municipal water systems?

Here’s what the experts say.

Open your cabinets

An easy step you can take to protect your pipes is to simply open cabinets under sinks. This exposes pipes to the warm air heated in your home.

“One thing that we can do, particularly with our bathroom, is open the cabinet doors and possibly just let some of that warm air that we have naturally in our homes to kind of help,” said Neeraj Patel with GSWSA.

Circulating warm air around plumbing is particularly important for pipes located by exterior walls, which bathrooms sometimes are.

Turn your faucets on

Some water utility companies warn that households all running faucets at once can strain municipal water systems, but not in the Grand Strand.

“Whenever we have water temperatures that are in the teens (degrees), we definitely want to probably let some faucets drift,” Patel said.

There’s no universally agreed upon temperature where pipes are at risk, but water starts to freeze at 32 degrees. Factors like insulation, smart valves and indoor and outdoor temperatures all contribute to pipe protection in cold weather.

“It all depends on the house and how their house is constructed, and everything else, so there’s really not a good magic number that’s there,” said Patel. “Anytime that it’s below freezing, probably for multiple days, is probably when people should be concerned.”

Leaving your faucets on all night may seem wasteful and expensive, but it only takes a thin stream to protect your pipes, and it could save you expensive repairs.

Wrap your pipes

If you have outdoor pipes that aren’t insulated, it’s a good idea to wrap them.

“Any pipes that are exposed that you have readily access to, certainly can be wrapped,” Patel said.

Products made specifically for insulation, like foam and rubber sleeves, are best, but household items still offer protection in a pinch. Towels, sheets and newspaper can all be wrapped around pipes and secured with common supplies like duct tape and zip ties.