On February 5, 1996, Freddie and Erica Chalmers of South Carolina went off to work as they would any other day. However, this would be no ordinary day for the Chalmerses. When they returned home that evening, their home had suffered more than $35,000 in damage. The cause: frozen pipes.

Each winter, tens of thousands of lives are disrupted by water pipes that freeze and break. But, with just a few precautions, you can prevent this from happening in your home.

Cause and Effect

What causes pipes to burst? Last year, researchers from the University of Illinois discovered that breaks in a pipe occur where it is weakest from rising water pressure. Pressure will begin to build after an ice clog has formed. Water pressure can rise to as much as 4,000 pounds per square inch. And, a one-eighth-inch (3 millimeters) crack in a pipe can unleash more than 250 gallons (946 liters) of water a day—ruining floors, carpets, furniture, and personal belongings