When turning the water back on to your house, you must be careful not to let air and water rush back into the pipes too quickly. You should turn the water back on slowly. Open one or two faucets before turning the water back on, then incrementally restore water until you see it freely flowing out of the open fixture.
All faucets should be open when ever you close the main. This prevents back pressure especially if broken or frozen pipes are your worry.
– If your water service has been shut off and recently restored, your pipes need to be flushed for 30 minutes to ensure your safety. Water sitting stagnant in pipes may contain lead, copper and other sediments that are not safe for drinking and cooking.
In subfreezing weather, it's a good idea to further protect your water lines by letting your faucets drip. Flowing water doesn't freeze easily, and even just a tiny trickle should provide sufficient protection.
Works for some (& has, for me). Turn off the water at street or main valve at house (if it fully stops flow). Close the valve on your water heater. Open water valves in house. Make sure in each area of house, the valves lowest to ground (and / or slab) are opened - to drain. Even if that's outside faucets.
Close all faucets and sinks except for one.
Professional plumber James Schuelke says to leave 1 sink or faucet on to help equalize the pressure when you turn the water back on; any sink will work. Make sure it's turned on all the way and then turn every other faucet all the way off in and around your home.
Water hammer can commonly be caused by trapped air inside the system. Air can find its way into your pipework system if empty pipework is filled too quickly.
The truth is, you only need to allow one of your faucets to drip. This faucet should be the farthest away from the area where water enters your home through the pipes.
Your Well System
Yes, even the south can freeze! If you are in an area that tends to reach or has ever had freezing temperatures, you should make every effort to prevent your pipes, well, and well components from freezing. When pipes freeze, the flow of water is completely blocked.
Leaks in your well system can range from very obvious to quite subtle. You may notice drips, jets, or puddles at specific components, such as a well pump leaking on one side or another, pooling around your storage tank, or a wellhead leaking.
Pipes: Turn off water supply to the house and drain pipes to protect them from freezing. You can empty pipes by running the water and flushing the toilets after the water has been turned off. After draining the pipes, it is a good idea to leave the faucets open to prevent pressure build up from any water that remains.
Turn on each kitchen or bathroom tap, one at a time, and run each for 10 minutes or more. Make sure only one tap is running at a time.
Ball valves may be the most reliable valve and are commonly used for main water shut offs. Similar to gate valves, ball valves should be all the way open to allow the full flow of water or all the way closed to restrict all water from flowing.
Many people tend to think they can turn their water back on by themselves after it has been shut off. However, this is not the case. If your water has been shut off due to a late payment, you can not turn it back on by yourself legally. If you are caught doing so, there will be legal action.
In many cases though, using the right heating tools can unfreeze your pipes in a matter of 30-45 minutes. Doing this safely and without causing the pipe to burst is the real challenge.
The simplest way to reduce the chances of your pipes freezing is to let your faucets continually drip warm water. This keeps a little bit of water moving through both your hot and cold water lines.
Most likely, you have a frozen pipe or two on your hands, so it's best to inspect your home's plumbing first. Look at the pipes in your basement, crawlspace, or near the walls of your home. If they are covered in ice or frost or have expanded, you know they are frozen.
If you live in a climate with freezing temperatures, you'll want to cover your outdoor faucets in the winter rather than dripping them. Even with a vigorous drip, frigid temperatures can travel through your faucet and freeze the connecting pipes. Before using a cover, you'll need to properly winterize your faucet.
Prevent Frozen Pipes
Moving water keeps pipes from freezing. Find shut off valves for emergencies. Insulate pipes in unheated areas. Open cupboards and vanities to warm pipes.
Farm Bureau Insurance noted that pipes have a temperature alert threshold of 20°F—which means pipes will begin to freeze at this temperature and in some cases, even burst.
Install a water hammer arrestor
If that's the case in your home, you'll need a water hammer arrestor. These devices are small air-filled pipes that screw onto tees that are soldered onto your pipes. They use a built-in piston to compress air to help reduce the shockwave created by closed valves.
Also called hydraulic shock, the signs of water hammer include a loud thumping or “hammering” noise from pipes carrying fluid and moderate- to heavy vibrations along the pipe system. Its impact can range from mild or undetectable vibrations to severe and very disruptive pressure shocks.
In most cases, the sound of knocking pipes is caused by a variation in water pressure within the main water line coming into your home–this is called water hammer.