News Release & Media Event: It's Freezing Outside! Are Your Pipes?
NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Take Winter By Storm Reminder: A Procrastinator is a Water Leak’s Best Friend
SEATTLE – The weather has turned in the Puget Sound, and this week marks the anniversary of the area’s crippling snow and ice storm. Its another good reminder that Western Washingtonians need to be prepared for freezing temperatures.
Take Winter By Storm, a campaign to help citizens get prepared before bad weather strikes, reminds everyone that freezing temperatures can lead to a number of overwhelming problems around the home. Especially, causing water pipes to freeze and burst.
“A miniscule, one-eighth inch crack in a pipe can spew more than 250 gallons of water a day destroying floors, furniture, appliances and personal items,” said Brad Hilliard, State Farm spokesman. “The good news is that it only takes a few simple steps to protect your home, but it’s important to do them now and not procrastinate.”
Beat the Freeze with these Simple Steps:
- Insulate pipes that run along outside walls, floors and ceilings.
- Disconnect outside garden hoses and cover outdoor faucets.
- Seal foundation cracks that let arctic air freeze pipes in crawlspaces.
- If going away for an extended period of time, maintain adequate heat inside the home (no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit) as well as shut off and drain the water system.
If you are caught unprepared for freezing temps, here are two tasks that take two minutes and can save thousands:
- Open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to piping under sinks and vanities near exterior walls.
- Run a small trickle of water at vulnerable cold and hot faucets.
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MEDIA EVENT:
Take Winter By Storm (TWBS), a campaign to help citizens get prepared before bad weather strikes, reminds everyone that freezing temperatures can lead to a number of overwhelming problems around the home. Especially, causing water pipes to freeze and burst.
One Seattle-area couple knows this all too well. Norman and Susan Milks were out of town when freezing temperatures hit their neighborhood. They returned home to find over $70,000 in damage as a result of a frozen pipe that cracked in the bathroom.
“The lesson from our experience is to not take preparedness for granted,” said Mr. Milks. “For us, maintaining the heat in the home and having someone watch the house was a good first step but was just not enough.”
Join TWBS this Friday to hear the rest of their story and witness a frozen pipe demonstration.
DETAILS:
When - Friday, 10 a.m.
Where - Brian Chambers, State Farm, 3206 16th Ave W, Seattle
What - Demonstration of a frozen pipe burst, photos of damage and interviews with the Milks and TWBS spokespeople
RESULTS:
Seattle Times, KING and KOMO covered the media event. Variations of the news release has been used nationally to secure multiple earned media stories regarding frozen pipes.
