With temperatures dropping into the teens Friday and Saturday nights, Fayetteville Public Works Commission is urging customers to take precautions with water pipes and in their use of electricity.

The National Weather Service predicted that temperatures in the Fayetteville area would fall to about 29 by 4 p.m. Friday, with wind chill values as low as 16. Friday night’s temperature was expected to fall as low as 16, with a wind chill value as low as zero, according to the Weather Service website.

Breezy conditions with gusts of wind as high as 46 mph were predicted.

Saturday’s forecast calls for a high temperature of near 30, with wind chill values as low as zero. The low Saturday night was forecast at about 17 degrees.

On Christmas Day, the high was expected to be about 38 with westerly winds at 5 to 7 mph. Sunday night’s forecast calls for lows around 19.

PWC warns that the bitter cold could affect plumbing make it more difficult to manage electricity use. On its website, PWC offers these tips:

  • Water lines should be protected from below freezing temperatures. Check water supply lines located in unheated areas, including the basement, crawl space, attic and garage and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Both hot and cold water pipes should be insulated. Locate the master water shutoff valve in case of a pipe break. Click here for Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes.
  • Protect an irrigation system’s backflow prevention device, typically located in the front yard and with a white, box-like cover. Insulate the inside of the cover and protect the pipes by wrapping and taping them with insulation. Click Here to Learn More.
  • When temperatures are very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet supplied by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe – even at a trickle – helps prevent freezing.
  • When adjusting the thermostat on a heat pump, adjust by no more than 2 degrees at a time to prevent the system from automatically forcing the auxiliary/emergency heat system on. Auxiliary heat costs three times as much as regular heating. Learn More Here.
  • Close your home’s foundation vents to reduce circulation of cold air underneath the home.

Check the PWC Energy Forecast for more on saving on your utility bill and efficiency upgrades.

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