Dangerously cold temperatures could lead to frozen or bursted pipes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Team is monitoring dangerously cold temperatures from Saturday into Sunday. The American Red Cross has some tips to keep your home and water pipes safe as the temperatures drop below freezing Saturday.

According to the Red Cross, the pipes most likely to freeze are outside, in unheated areas of the home--like crawl spaces or in cabinets--and inside pipes that are adjacent to outside.

The Red Cross suggests adding insulation to cover pipes in the unheated parts of the home, like in the crawlspace, attic or basement.

For the pipes inside but that are not heated, the Red Cross also recommends getting pipe insulation specific sleeves. Wrapping a quarter inch of newspaper around pipes can also add some protection against the cold.

Leaving cabinet doors in the kitchen or in bathrooms open can also help, according to the Red Cross because it allows warmer to circulate inside the cabinet.

Putting the faucet on a drip could also prevent pipes from freezing because running water doesn't easily freeze, according to the Red Cross.

People who have holiday travel plans or won't be home for long periods of time should leave the heat on and set the thermostat to at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the Red Cross.

If pipes do freeze, the water stream from the faucet likely won't be strong. The Red Cross suggests leaving the water running while trying to heat the pipe with a heating pad, hair dryer, a space heater or hot towels. The Red Cross also said not to use anything with an open flame, like a blow torch.

People should also check other areas of the home to make sure other pipes aren't frozen. If a pipe isn't defrosting, a plumber should be able to get it fixed.