LAFAYETTE, La. — Freezing temperatures are coming to Acadiana, leaving residents wondering what's the best way to make sure your home is protected and prepared for the weather.
KATC spoke with two experts who would know the different options.
Over at Youngsville Fire Department, KATC asked Fire Chief Blair Rivette if letting your faucet run can affect their work.
"It basically drops the water pressure down in the entire municipality water system which can cause an issue if there is a major fire then we lose pressure to the fire hydrants," he says.
He says there is other options besides running the drip all night long.
"The easiest to get through this is to wrap all of your outdoor piping or faucets and leave your cabinet doors open to every area in your home that has a sink," Rivette said.
Over at Hargrave's Plumbing, owner Travis Hargrave says he believes dripping lukewarm water is ok.
"The best drip and rate of drip is very low and just something steady, you don't have to wait until it gets down," Hargrave said. "You can wait until it's 29 degrees or even lower then that, and you keep it moving and it brings the warm water in."
For those who may be worried about their water bill, Hargrave has other options.
"You have your caps for your hose bits, your insulation boxes you can put on them those work great. You have your typically pipe insulation we also have a silt barrier, it's some fabric you can put around your home it has sticks built into it," he says.
Either way you choose to protect your home ahead of the freezing temperatures, it's better to be safe than sorry.
