At this time of year, we like to caution everyone about frozen pipes as they are a common cause of water damage in January and February.

Pipes most likely to freeze are those most exposed to the severe cold, including outdoor faucets, sprinkler supply lines, and pipes in unheated indoor areas like basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages and kitchen cabinets. Pipes which run along exterior walls with little or no insulation are also subject to freezing.

In addition to keeping an eye on pipes near exterior walls, it's good idea to insulate water pipes which run through attics, crawl spaces, and unheated areas of your basement. On very cold days and nights, you might have to leave the water on a trickle to prevent a problem pipe from freezing.

If you're leaving home for a few days, don't set the thermostat below 55 degrees, and make sure a friend or neighbor checks your house every day to make sure a pipe has not frozen or ruptured.

If you turn the faucet on and no water comes out, never use a blow torch or open flame to try to thaw the pipe. Rather, try a blow dryer, warming the area near the faucet first, and working your way down toward the coldest section of the pipe.

Should a frozen pipe rupture, make sure everyone in your house knows where the nearest water shut-off valve is, and if necessary use the main shut-off where the water supply enters yours house

Oh, and make sure to keep our number handy.