Avoid frozen pipes in your home

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Cold weather in the winter can take a toll on your home. That's especially true when it comes to plumbing. There are some simple steps that can save money and prevent some headaches during freezing weather.

Simply opening the kitchen or bathroom cabinet to let the warm air inside can keep your pipes from freezing. David McDonough of B&W Plumbing and Heating says wait until it gets really cold to take action.

"We know that freezing is 32. But the inside of the house will stay pretty warm. If it gets below zero, that's when you want to leave your water inside the house running," said McDonough.

He said always start by turning on the hot water first, and then add a little cold. He said leave it on day and night whenever it gets below zero.

"It's a lot less expensive to run a little bit of water then it is to have your plumber come out to start cutting pipes and repairing them," said McDonough.

Angie Hicks of Angie's List says it makes sense to be proactive when it comes to winter and the plumbing in your home.

"Because those pipes tend to freeze in the middle of the night or weekend on the coldest day of the year....you want to be sure that your taking care of things so you can avoid the bills down the road," said Hicks.

Angie and David said the simple, do-it-yourself tasks don't require a plumber.

"An important thing when you leave the house....make sure your garage door closes all the way. If your water softener or your water heater's out in the garage, or you have plumbing in the garage -- sure enough, they'll freeze and break if you leave that garage door open," said McDonough.

McDonough said you should also find the main water shut off. That's because if something goes wrong, you'll want to shut off the water and call a plumber immediately. He said the cost of a good plumber ranges from $90-$120 an hour. So, keeping the pipes from freezing will save you a bundle.

Hicks said if you haven't done so yet, you need to immediately go and unhook your hose from the outside spigot. If you don't, you could easily find yourself in need of a plumber soon.