City of Madison Heights issued the following announcement on Feb 7.
We've been riding the Michigan Winter roller coaster, and when the temperature drops, uninsulated pipes and water meters can be prone to freezing and bursting. DPS has some simple, inexpensive tips to help protect your home this winter, and keep the water flowing.
- Know where your shutoff valves are. There will be a valve immediately before and after the water meter. Knowing where these valves are is extremely important should a pipe burst in the house.
- Protect your pipes from drafts. If you have a crawlspace, make sure the vents along the outside walls are closed up for the winter. We also recommend insulating any pipes which run along outside walls.
- Let the heat in. If your water meter is in a cabinet on an outside wall, such as under the kitchen sink, or in a utility room, crack the cabinet door open on the coldest days to let heat from the house in, and keep things from freezing up.
- Due to liability reasons, DPS cannot thaw your frozen pipes. This work is best left to a qualified plumber. If you attempt to thaw the frozen pipe yourself, NEVER use a torch or other source of flame, as this could inadvertently start a fire. Remember, the best defense against frozen pipes is to keep them from freezing in the first place.
- If the water meter has frozen, the freeze-plate on the underside will crack and begin leaking. The meter must be replaced by the City. Please remember that although the meter is the property of the City, it is the homeowner’s responsibility to keep it warm and safe from damage.
Original source can be found here.
Source: City of Madison Heights
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