Broken hips, burst pipes and frigid temps: How to prepare for Portland's winter weather
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — When frigid temperatures hit, people stuck at home amid heavy snowfall may need to take preventive measures to avert a disaster.
More than simply checking flashlight batteries and testing generators, which are both important, there’s another simple step homeowners can do that could stop an emergency from happening in its tracks — especially when first responders may be too busy.
Last February’s huge snowstorm caused hundreds upon hundreds of burst pipes to occur from the freezing weather. However, Portland firefighters told KOIN 6 News there is something people can do to prevent this.
A pipe that has busted in the ice-cold climate is insidious because the resident probably won’t know about it until after the weather starts warming up, causing a deluge of water through the home or business damaging the structure underneath it.
Rick Graves with Portland Fire and Rescue told KOIN 6 News the key to preventing as much water damage as possible in this scenario is to quickly locate the water valve shut-off underneath the below-ground box outside one’s home. Pry open the compartment to turn off the flow of water.
By taking steps to cut off the water, it can mitigate potential damage. Many calls tend to pile up for issues like this for firefighters during major weather events, preventing them from responding right away to each one.
"The days I remember working hardest around a storm was the days it thawed because of the water rupturing rather than incidents that occurred as a result of the storm," Graves said.
When the valve is horizontally oriented, the water is flowing. To turn it off, turn the valve into the vertical position. It may require a crescent wrench, screwdriver, or other inexpensive tool from the hardware store, Graves said.
It’s also wise to leave a pencil-sized trickle of water coming from your indoor facets, open up the cabinets below to keep the pipes warmer and put insulated covers around outside spigots to prevent burst pipes.
In addition, homeowners should be wary of temperature changes when they go out of town. It’s a good idea to keep the heat on when people leave their homes for a while so that the pipes don’t burst upon returning to a cold building that thaws suddenly when the heat is cranked up, causing a pipe to burst.
Firefighters also warn to be careful about slippery surfaces outdoors as they get a lot of calls for people falling from such conditions. Whether young or old, ice does not discriminate, they say.