NEW ULM — New Ulm Public Utilities (NUPU) staff offers a number of tips to avoid frozen water pipes and reduce heating costs this winter.

Darlis O’Brien of the NUPU Water & District Energy Dept. said most water service lines enter homes in the basement, so the basement temperature should be at least 55 degrees.

“Expose water pipes to warmer air by leaving cupboard doors open under kitchen and bathroom sinks to allow heat to enter the space,” said O’Brien. “Monitor home water temperature by running water in a sink closest to your water meter. The temperature should be around 45 degrees in winter. If it’s below 40 degrees, your service line may be starting to freeze. You can prevent that by running a pencil-sized steam of water from the faucet.”

O’Brien said the cost for a contractor to thaw a frozen water line could cost hundreds of dollars.

NUPU Energy Services Representative Derek Nelson said dressing warmly indoors allows people to deal better with cold winter temperatures.

“Adjust your thermostat to at least 68 degrees during the day,” he said. Preventing air leakage and drafts save money and makes it more comfortable indoors.

“Changing furnace filters every three months is recommended, but changing it monthly is best during heavy use,” said Nelson. “A clean filter allows furnaces to operate properly, improve energy efficiency, save money and prevent system failure.”

He urged residents to have their furnace or boiler inspected. Nelson said NUPU offers rebates for heating system inspections and cleaning.

National Weather Service Chanhassen Meteorologist Mike Griesinger said there is reason for optimism after the New Ulm Airport reported 20 degrees F. below zero Friday.

“It was the first big (temperature) drop of the winter. It’s nothing out of the ordinary,” he said. “We will slowly come out of it. We should see a gradual warmup the rest of the month and into early February. We’ll struggle to hit zero Saturday, hit the daytime teens in the middle of next week, 20s next weekend and some 30s after that. It’s actually good to get cold like this, particularly for plants. It helps us get rid of some invasive species like ticks and things that shouldn’t be able to survive our winter.”

Greisinger said New Ulm’s record low for Jan. 23 is minus 32, set in 1936.