It's not just a catchy phrase in Game of Thrones. Winter really is coming, and in the waterworks industry, that means time spent dealing with cold, icy weather, damage to the system and frozen lines. It also means running around when you realize you haven't prepared your inventory properly. Here is some more information on how to keep your water utility functioning well in the cold and what to keep on hand ahead of time.

There are, of course, certain preparations that every waterworks utility should make in anticipation of winter's cold temperatures. You make sure your hydrants are functioning properly so they won't freeze up when they're needed most. You take stock of your warming blankets and de-icing salt to try to keep things moving. You send out new marketing material suggesting to customers how they can keep their pipes from freezing or bursting. You stow your summer equipment either run dry of fuel or stabilized to prevent glaze from building up and making them unusable without a complete overhaul.

Unfortunately, one area that often falls by the wayside is checking your existing inventory to determine whether there are sufficient supplies on hand to take care of burst pipes. Though you can always hope that the system will run well without any problems and that the seasonal temperatures will remain on the warm side, old man winter may have different plans. Being able to quickly respond to and repair burst pipes can make all the difference to your customers, especially those who rely on regular water supply to drip their faucets and keep their pipes from freezing and bursting in the process.

Take an inventory of the standard fittings seen in your system. Are they typically copper, fitted iron pipe, ductile iron or any of the various plastic pipe options available? What size fittings do your meters and supply lines require? What will you need to bridge to fix the problem at hand? By knowing the type of fittings you need, you can better order the right brass couplings needed to fix the burst pipes in your system without wasting time and money waiting on an overnight shipment.

By keeping an assortment of appropriate water works lead free brass compression couplings on hand for your winter emergencies, you can ensure that your business will be able to meet the challenges brought up by the approach of winter. But don't wait until the last minute, or you might be caught out in the cold without the parts you need to repair your system. At Red Hed Manufacturing, we carry a variety of water works lead free brass coupling fittings to help you make fast repairs to your system without the drama of waiting for backordered parts. Please feel free to contact us today to determine what you need before winter's cold winds are beating at your door.