The weather in Denver has turned cooler, and all it takes is one really cold night to freeze some pipes. When water freezes, it expands. If you're lucky, you'll turn on your water in the morning and wonder why you have just a trickle of water. If you're not so lucky, you'll find yourself in a mess with water everywhere. Not only will you have to figure out how to clean up the water, but you'll probably have damaged belongings and possibly a mold issue in your near future. 

To avoid these circumstances, simply take some of these precautions: 

• If you have a pool or sprinkler system, drain the supply lines before it gets below freezing. 
• Drain hoses and put them away. Turn off outside spigots at an indoor valve and leave the outdoor valves open to drain. 
• Insulate pipes in high-risk areas including the basement, attic, garage, crawl space and exterior walls of the house. 
• Leave cabinet doors open underneath kitchen and bathroom sinks so some warm air can get to those pipes. 
• Let the faucet drip a little. The moving water will discourage freezing, as well as release some pressure from the pipes. 

If a cold front catches you by surprise and you wake up to frozen pipes, you can try to figure out where the problem is and heat them up with a hair dryer or heating pad (never use an open flame), but the best course of action is to call a plumber. Know where your water's main valve is so you can turn it off if necessary. 

How would you prefer to spend a cold day? Relaxing on the couch with a hot beverage, or cleaning up gallons of water, throwing out wet belongings, trying to dry out what can be salvaged and fixing a pipe that burst? Follow the tips above and you'll be able to enjoy that hot coffee or cocoa. 

Protect your family. Call JJ Insurance at 303-871-8880 for more information on Denver home insurance.