Coloradans bundling up ahead of this weekend’s arctic blast should also plan on keeping their homes cozy, particularly for water pipes that can freeze and burst during subzero cold snaps.

Forecasters expect temperatures to drop well below freezing Saturday in the mountains, Front Range and Eastern Plains before plunging into the single and negative digits for most of Sunday and Monday, but people can prevent frozen pipes by taking a few simple steps now, according to Denver Water, the American Red Cross and metro plumbing experts.

High 5 Plumbing usually gets triple the amount of calls because of frozen or burst pipes during and after a cold snap, said company president Levi Torres.

“The best preventative is to start getting ready before the freeze hits,” Torres said.

Before the cold weather hits

Torres recommends bumping up the thermostat to be as warm as is comfortable before the freeze sets in to prevent the chill from entering your home.

“It’s better to pay a little extra in gas this week than to pay for property damage from a burst pipe,” he said.

Denver Water officials recommend setting the thermostat above 65 degrees if homeowners plan to leave home for several days.

Folks should also know where the main water shut-off valve is in their home. For most single-family homes, it’s in the basement, the crawl space or a wall facing the street, according to the agency.

Water pipes in unheated basements or along exterior walls should be insulated against the cold, either with insulation or products like pipe sleeves or heat tape. Even a few layers of newspaper wrapped around pipes can provide protection, according to the Red Cross.

During the deep freeze

When the cold weather sets in, people should open doors near pipes to expose them to warm air, including kitchen and bathroom cabinets and access doors.

Folks should also crack both a hot and cold faucet to keep water trickling, ideally in a place that’s farthest from where water enters your home.

“A very slow drip will keep water molecules moving, reducing the chance that pipes will freeze. Place a bucket underneath the faucet so the water can be saved for other household uses,” Denver Water officials said.

People should take preventative steps even if they’ve never had a problem with frozen pipes, Torres said.

“Every year your home gets older, the insulation gets older and it doesn’t keep your home as warm as it used to,” he said. “It’s best to practice these things even if you’ve never had a problem so you don’t wake up with a problem.”

Keeping the thermostat set at the same temperature during the day and night can also prevent frozen pipes, according to the Red Cross.

How to locate a frozen pipe

If you wake up to the unpleasant surprise of little or no water coming out of the faucet during a cold snap, there’s still time to avert disaster.

It’s not always easy to tell which pipes are frozen, but people can usually narrow it down based on where water is running in their home and where it’s not, Torres said.

If every water fixture is sluggish or dry, there’s a good chance the pipes are frozen near the main water intake, Torres said. Exterior walls are also more likely to have frozen pipes.

If you can’t figure out which pipe is frozen, call a licensed plumber.

How to thaw frozen pipes

Thawing frozen pipes is a balance of acting quickly and carefully because pipes warmed too fast can break, Denver Water officials said.

Try to shut off the water valve, but keep the faucet open while you warm up the frozen pipe so water starts running as it melts, which will help it melt more.

Use a hair dryer, an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe or a portable space heater (at a safe distance) to thaw the pipe, or wrap it in towels soaked in hot water, according to the Red Cross.

Don’t use any device with an open flame, like a blowtorch, kerosene/propane heater or charcoal stove.

Keep warming the pipe until there’s full water pressure and check all other faucets for possible frozen pipes. If you can’t thaw the pipe, call a plumber.

What to do if your pipes burst

If the worst has already happened, shut off the water at the main valve and, if needed, turn off the electricity in that part of your home and call a plumber.

If your basement is flooded, do not wade through the water until the electricity is turned off. Call an electrician if you can’t reach the electricity on your own, according to State Farm. Contact your gas provider to see if the flooding has impacted your water heater or furnace in case they need to turn off your gas.

Water damage caused by burst pipes is likely covered by homeowner or renter’s insurance and may include reimbursement for a hotel stay if your home is uninhabitable, according to the Colorado Division of Insurance.

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Originally Published: January 16, 2025 at 10:22 AM MST

Living in Colorado, I know how important the environment is to our way of life. Early in my life, as a Latino, I spent much time outdoors; it is a part of my culture and upbringing. 

I cherish our state’s great climate as an avid fisher, hunter and outdoor enthusiast. Having lived here all my life, I am keenly aware of how fragile our environment is today.  

I know firsthand how climate change affects our communities. I have family members who suffer from asthma, and they are directly impacted by a change in air quality in Colorado. Sadly, without any action, this dynamic could get much worse. 

This problem is felt acutely by Latinos in Colorado. Research shows that Latinos are 51% more likely to live in a county that violates ground-level ozone standards. According to GreenLatinos, using data from the U.S. Department Of Health and Human Services: “These geographic factors, due to environmental racism, contribute to asthma having a disproportionate impact on Latino families. Preventing methane and ozone pollution is critical for Latinos because Latino children are twice as likely to die of asthma than white children.”

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, methane emissions from landfills are among the third-largest sources of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and contribute significantly to the heating of our planet. Latinos often work in jobs that require us to to work outside in extreme heat presenting a clear and present danger to our communities in Colorado. 

To help curb the effects of these harmful gases, we need stronger regulations and better emissions monitoring. To do this, we must require more gas-collection systems at landfills, more monitoring and accurate emissions reporting, and more composting, recycling, and reduction in the waste stream. 

The good news is Colorado has already taken several necessary steps toward addressing emissions from landfills.

Gov. Jared Polis’ administration has committed to advancing landfill rule updates in 2025, with a draft rule expected in February. In July, Colorado was awarded $329 million by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency via a Climate Pollution Reduction Grant, with a significant amount earmarked to deploy advanced monitoring technology.

The Polis administration must continue to move forward by issuing draft landfill regulations that position Colorado as a national leader in methane reduction. 

We have to move forward soon; the urgency of this problem is high. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that causes about 25% of the global warming we are experiencing today. Methane increases the speed of global warming, and we must stop emissions in the short term.

Given the severity of the Latino community’s problem related to toxic methane gases, the Polis administration must take further action on landfill regulations. One simple step he could take would be to get more aggressive in monitoring methane emission levels at our landfills. By being the first in the nation to embrace the latest methane monitoring technologies, Colorado can exceed the bar set by Washington, Oregon, and California while pressuring the EPA to draft the most robust federal regulations. 

There are 47 landfills in Colorado, to curb methane in our state, the simplest thing to do would be to ensure all with 200,000 metric tons of waste in place have gas collection systems and reduce installation lag time to under one year. 

Another recommendation Colorado could consider is to promote organic waste diversion through waste prevention, composting and food recovery programs to reduce future methane generation from a landfill. This would create jobs, address food insecurity and produce valuable products like compost that sequester carbon and improve soil health.

Gov. Polis, you have done the hard work. Now, we need you to execute your plans. For those who want to add their voice to this fight, there is an upcoming meeting at the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment where you can provide your public comment.

Latinos in Colorado are hit hard by environmental degradation related to greenhouse gas emissions. Landfill methane is among the worst pollutants in the world. We owe it to our community to ensure that we fight these pollutants.

Latinos cannot afford to let our climate further deteriorate, as we are directly impacted by the extreme weather events created by these gases.

Evaristo Gomez Jr., of Westminster, is the civic engagement manager at the nonprofit Mi Familia Vota.

The Colorado Sun is a nonpartisan news organization, and the opinions of columnists and editorial writers do not reflect the opinions of the newsroom. Read our ethics policy for more on The Sun’s opinion policy. Learn how to submit a column. Reach the opinion editor at opinion@coloradosun.com.

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An arctic front will sweep through Colorado Friday afternoon with dangerously cold air and accumulating snow lagging behind it for the holiday weekend.  

This is a long duration event in the Denver metro area and across that state. At least 96+ hours will be spent below freezing and two waves of snow are likely.

Confidence is increasing in detail for the first wave of snow and cold but decreases as we begin to focus on the reinforcing shot of cold air and additional snow chances on Sunday.  

Here is everything we know to a high degree of confidence:  

• An arctic front will sweep through the state from the northwest to the southeast on Friday evening. Snow will lag an hour or two behind the front. Exact timing will be key for potential impacts to the evening commute. 
• Another reinforcement of cold air on Sunday, Monday will likely be the coldest day of the blast.
• Odds for another round of snow Sunday night into Monday are increasing.

Now for the nitty gritty…

Arctic front arrives Friday afternoon, snow arrives by evening

There will be a nice start to the day Friday with highs reaching the 40s by the noon. An arctic front approaches in the afternoon and sweeps through the state from northwest to southeast. You’ll feel it as the front passes as temperatures will plummet int he matter of an hour.

Exact timing of the front is uncertain, if it comes a bit ahead of schedule travel impacts are expected for the Friday evening commute. This is an aspect of the storm we will continue to fine-tune. Flash freeze potential will be high at the onset of snow across both I-25 and the mountains. With near-record heat out ahead of the arctic front, it will take roads an hour or two to drop in temperature. This means melted snow will freeze up.

Snow lingers on-and-off on Saturday, things start getting cold 

On-and-off snow will linger through Saturday evening. I’m still favoring a general 2-5″ across the Front Range with 5-9″ for the foothills and portions of I-70. he snow will be dry and fluffy, this means it can accumulate quicker, and these types of systems tend to have a better chance of overperforming. Additionally, banding will be involved. This means a few bands of heavier snow only a few miles wide develop. Those under the heavier bands will pick up a lot of snow, while those outside the band get robbed of moisture and typically end up on the lower end. 

At one point Saturday was the day to watch for extremely cold windchills. The timeline of the extreme cold will be delayed until Sunday. For now windchills will bottom out in the single digits.

Reinforcing shot of cold air arrives Sunday, more snow

Another arctic front will surge across Colorado on Sunday bringing downright bone chilling air. This is where things get interesting temperature-wise. As of now we are forecasting 10 degrees as the high in Denver, but this may need to come down a degree or two. By evening, temperatures plummet below 0 and light snow will spread across much of the state.

Frigid Monday and Tuesday morning

Monday is the day of cold… snow will come to an end and life-threatening wind chills will swoop in. As of now, 6 degrees is the forecast high, but this too may need to be lowered to near 0 degrees. Wind chills will be below 0 degrees all day, reaching a peak Monday night into Tuesday. Wind chills will plummet to -35 degrees with actual temperatures well below 0. 

Stay tuned to CBS Colorado newscasts for updates on the severity of cold and snow headed our way.