Heating bills are already on many households' minds this winter. In a recent column, The Guardian's Mark Wolfe argues that the war in Iran is deepening the US energy affordability crisis, and he points to heating oil as an early warning. Families who heat with oil are "facing bills that could be 50% higher this winter." You can read the full argument in The Guardian's column on the Iran war and winter energy bills.
If you are planning to turn the thermostat down to save money, the question that matters for your water system is simple: will the pipes freeze? The honest answer is that they can, and the risk has less to do with how cold the outdoors gets than with where your pipes run and how warm the air around them stays. Lowering the heat is a reasonable choice for many homes. It just needs a plan for the spots the heat reaches last.
Where the Risk Sits
Water that freezes expands, and that pressure can split a pipe. Once a pipe cracks, it may not show until the thaw, when water floods a wall, a floor, or a ceiling below. The most exposed places are usually the ones that were never warm to begin with: crawl spaces, unheated garages, basements with a cold outer wall, attic runs, and any room built over an open area. Pipes that sit against exterior walls, near a foundation vent, or in a cabinet that faces outdoors deserve a second look. Outdoor hose bibs and sprinkler lines are also common trouble spots, because they often hold water long after the weather turns.
Steps to Take Before a Cold Night
Start by finding your main water shutoff and making sure you can turn it. If a pipe bursts at 2 a.m., you do not want to be searching for the valve in the dark. Next, open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so warm room air can reach the pipes. Clear out cleaning supplies that might be damaged by freezing if you can, and keep them out of the way so the cabinet stays open.
Disconnect garden hoses from outdoor faucets before the first hard freeze. If your home has a separate shutoff for those outdoor faucets, close it and drain the line, following the instructions for your fixture. Wrap exposed pipes in unheated spaces with foam pipe sleeves, which are inexpensive and simple to fit. Seal obvious drafts where pipes enter the house, since a cold breeze on a pipe does more harm than a still, cold room.
On the coldest nights, let a faucet drip slightly. Moving water is harder to freeze than still water. Pick a tap on the far end of the line from the main shutoff, usually the one farthest from where the water enters the house. A thin, steady stream is enough. If you use heat tape on exposed pipes, follow the manufacturer's directions, use a cord rated for the job, and avoid plugging it into an overloaded outlet or extension cord.
Keep a Floor of Heat Where It Counts
You do not have to keep the whole house warm to protect the plumbing, but you do need a minimum temperature that you hold steady. Choose a floor you can live with and set the thermostat to it, rather than letting the house drop to whatever the outdoors allows. Big swings are harder on a system than a steady, modest setting. If you are away for a few days, ask someone to check the house or at least confirm that the heat is running.
Heating interruptions are especially risky. A furnace that quits, a fuel supply that runs low, or an oil burner that stops can leave a house cold within hours in the worst weather. If your heat fails, call your heating service right away, and keep the thermostat and the water line in mind while you wait. Lowering a bill should never mean leaving the house unheated for long stretches.
If a Pipe Freezes
If a faucet runs weak or not at all, suspect a freeze. Open the faucet so water can flow once it thaws, and then locate the frozen section if you can see it. Warm the pipe slowly with a hair dryer or warm towels. Do not use an open flame, a torch, or a heater placed close to wood or insulation. If you see water spraying, a wet ceiling, or a pipe that has split, shut off the main at once and call a licensed plumber. A burst pipe can cause far more damage than a few weeks of thermostat savings.
The Bottom Line
Lower heating bills are a fair goal, and many households will need to find savings this winter. The trick is to protect the parts of the house that suffer most when the heat drops: the cold corners, the outdoor lines, and the shutoff you hope never to use. Check those spots now, before the first hard freeze, and you can keep the thermostat where your budget needs it without betting the plumbing on it.