Tips to Prevent Frozen Pipes
Winter has arrived in Tennessee. A few years ago, we learned the importance of preparation at the TNRMT offices. Over the weekend, a stairway’s supplemental heat source failed, causing a sprinkler pipe to freeze and burst. The cleanup was long, exhausting, and costly. While we are here to support you if something similar happens at your facilities, the time and headache will ultimately be yours. Cold temperatures can reach areas of your facility that you seldom visit or cannot see, such as:
- Crawl spaces, Closets, Warehouses, Isolated Storage Areas
- Enclosed spaces (e.g., attics, lofts, roof spaces, stairways)
Preparing for cold weather can help reduce potential business interruptions and related losses resulting from cold temperatures.
Domestic water piping
In severe cold, domestic water pipes can freeze and break. Ensure pipes in isolated or poorly heated areas are shut off, drained, or protected with supplemental heat. Leave cabinets under sinks on exterior walls open for heat circulation. Remove garden hoses exposed to the elements and insulate hose bibs where possible.
Protect your fire protection sprinklers
Fire protection sprinkler systems are dependent on the ability of water to flow freely when needed. Ensure that wet piping systems, which may be subject to cold temperatures, are sufficiently heated to prevent freezing.
If heating is lost in a building protected by wet sprinklers, it should be restored immediately. Sprinkler systems should be shut off and completely drained only after exhausting all options to re-establish sufficient heat. If this is necessary, be sure to take appropriate precautions, including notifying local fire officials.
Strategies to help prevent frozen pipes
Some prevention strategies to consider:
- Properly insulate and/or provide approved heat tracing for water-filled pipes located in exterior walls or unheated spaces.
- Drain any piping that is not required during the winter months.
- Maintain a minimum temperature of 40° F (4.4° C) in building areas with systems and structures susceptible to freezing, like wet-pipe sprinkler systems, fire pump houses and dry-pipe valve enclosures.
- Ensure that anti-freeze sprinkler systems have sufficient concentration (appropriate specific gravity readings) of antifreeze to withstand freezing weather.
- Inspect dry systems to help ensure air settings are correct, air maintenance systems are in good operating condition, and any pipe closets are well insulated. If heat tape or heating systems are being used, ensure that they are UL-listed for this specific purpose and are in good operating condition. Dry-pipe sprinkler systems low points and auxiliary drains should be opened and drained of any water or condensation.
- Any branch lines on wet sprinkler systems exposed or subject to extreme cold weather should be insulated and heat traced. Electric heat tracing products should be UL-listed for this specific purpose.
- Fire pump test headers should be checked to ensure they have been properly drained.
- Fire pump and dry-pipe sprinkler system equipment rooms should be checked routinely to ensure the heaters are in good operating condition.
- The use of low temperature monitoring solutions can help to ensure rooms are being properly heated.
Travelers Insurance. (n.d.). Preventing Frozen Pipes for Businesses. Retrieved January 7, 2025, from https://www.travelers.com/resources/business-topics/facilities-management/preventing-frozen-pipes-for-businesses
Protecting Against Slips, Trips and Falls During Winter
The most common injury reported to Tennessee Risk Management Trust is without exception slips, trips, and falls. While hazards are present year-round, there is an increased potential for them in the winter months due to snow and ice. We must make a reasonable effort to reduce the potential for injury to your guests, students, and employees. Any public entity that has people visiting its facility can be susceptible to this hazard and the associated liabilities. Listed below is a hit list of items to consider for your strategy.
- Develop and implement a written snow and ice removal plan. Who is responsible?
- Determine if the snow and ice removal will be carried out by in-house personnel or by an outside contractor.
- Due to the standby nature of snow removal, an outside contractor may be the better option.
- Be sure to verify the proper liability insurance coverage of any contractor. If your employees perform snow removal work, provide the right training and equipment, such as insulated boots, gloves, jackets and snow removal equipment.
- Designate someone to monitor weather conditions, walking surfaces and effectiveness of removal practices.
- Record removal activities in a log.
- Perform incident investigations promptly.
- Putting the plan into action.
When determining areas to target first, be mindful of high-risk areas such as high-traffic areas, slopes, and dimly lit or uneven surfaces. Consider the type of treatment for given conditions. Ice melt products can leave entrance floors slippery; be prepared to clean up any moisture that is tracked in. Be aware of refreezing. Melting snow piles adjacent to a walkway can result in refreezing of water on the walkway.
Review drainage and puddle formation and ensure that it doesn’t discharge in frequent foot traffic areas. Relocate downspouts if they discharge water onto walking surfaces.
Travelers Insurance. (2025). Protecting Against Slips, Trips, and Falls During Winter. Retrieved from https://www.travelers.com/resources/business-topics/workplace-safety/protecting-against-slips-trips-and-falls-during-winter
Chris Stites
SEC
615-289-4101
cstites@sectn.com
Jason Baggett
TNRMT
865-228-8835
jbagget@tnrmt.com
Mark Bilyeu
SEC
615-210-7827
mbilyeu@sectn.com