Cold Weather Tips

With colder temperatures coming here a some tips to help keep the water flowing during those freezing temperatures.

1. Always keep snowed piled on your meter. Snow is a great insulator being that it is comprised of 90-95% air. If you dig up your meter for any reason please pile the snow back on it. We have seen them exposed for an hour and that is enough time to let the cold air in to freeze the meter and the setter. Last year we had a lot of south facing lots that the snow melted off the meter. If you can see your meter in the winter months, there is a high probability it will freeze. You can pile snow on it to help trap the warmer ground air inside the meter pit. Last, do not put anything over your meter lid. This creates a cold air void between it and the meter and it will help the freezing process.
2. You can remove the metal ring off your meter pit and put insulation inside. We recommend putting regular wall insulation, old blankets etc. in garbage bags and dropping them down in. Loose insulation becomes a mess if for any reason we need to get into the meter pit for repair. Tying a rope onto the bags makes it easy for removal to get the bags out of the pit if you cannot reach them. The insulation does not need to be packed in, but just loosely down on top of the meter.
3. Make sure your meter is clearly marked with at least a 6′ marker. Fence posts work the best about 1-2′ away from the meter to allow work space. Rebar in the ground with a PVC pole over it painted blue at the tip also works well, although sometimes they get bent over from the heavy snow. Time is crucial when dealing with a frozen or broken water line in the winter time. Be sure you can find your meter to quickly shut it off incase of a burst pipe. Always have your valve key (meter shut-off key) in an easy accessable place.
4. If you are not going to access your cabin in the winter months, please shut it off at the meter. There is still pipeline between the meter and the cabin that could leak. Finding leaks is hard enough in the summer months when there is not feet of snow on the ground.

We hope these tips will help keep the water flowing for you throughout the winter months.