Prepare your home for winter

Prevent frozen pipes, water meter damage and flooding before cold weather arrives.

On this page:

  1. Prevent frozen pipes
  2. Get ready before freezing temperatures
  3. Keep hydrants clear
  4. If you’re away this winter
  5. Contact us

Prevent frozen pipes

Cold weather can freeze water lines and meters, causing leaks and costly repairs. Keep your home warm and let water run occasionally to stop pipes from freezing.

Get ready before freezing temperatures

Take these steps to protect plumbing and water fixtures around your home.

Outside your home:

  • shut off and drain outdoor water lines and taps
  • drain and close pool and irrigation lines
  • empty and store rain barrels
  • clear snow and leaves from catch basins
  • dig out the furnace vent so snow doesn’t block airflow

Around your foundation:

  • keep the water meter in a heated space
  • make sure downspouts and sump pump pipes drain onto grass or gravel – not sidewalks or roadways
  • clear window wells of snow

After a snowfall, shovel out the hydrant near your home so firefighters can find it quickly in an emergency.

Keep hydrants clear

If there’s a hydrant on your property, you must keep it:

  • visible and accessible at all times
  • clear of snow, trees and other vegetation
  • with at least 1.2 metres (4 feet) of clear space on all sides

Under the Ontario Fire Code, hydrants must remain clear and unobstructed at all times.

If you’re away this winter

If you’ll be away during cold weather, take these steps to protect your home:

  • keep the heat on to prevent freezing
  • ask someone to check your home regularly – most insurance policies require this
  • turn off your main water valve, or ask the city to shut off your water at the property line
  • arrange for a neighbour to shovel your sidewalk and keep furnace vents clear of snow

Contact us

If you have questions about your water service: