The first time my pipes froze in Howell, I was new to town and completely unprepared.
It was January 2019, that polar vortex weekend when temperatures plunged to 3°F, and I woke up to that sickening silence when you turn the faucet handle and…nothing happens.
By noon, my kitchen ceiling had a water stain the shape of Lake Hopatcong, and I was on a first-name basis with an emergency plumber who charged roughly the equivalent of a monthly mortgage payment.
Don’t be like rookie me.
After five years in Howell (and three plumbing disasters later), I’ve learned that our unique Monmouth County weather patterns require a seasonal approach to keeping water flowing where it should—and nowhere else.
Plumbing Services in Howell, NJ
Winter: When Howell Pipes Give Up the Ghost
Our town sits in that frustrating sweet spot of “cold enough to freeze your pipes, warm enough that you don’t always prepare for it.” This meteorological practical joke catches dozens of Howell homeowners every year.
The Great Pipe Protection Project
Last November, my neighbor Deb from Echo Lake Court texted me a photo of her garage: “Is this right?” She’d gone overboard wrapping every visible pipe in enough insulation to survive an Arctic expedition. Overkill? Maybe. But after spending $2,300 on repairs the previous year, I understood her enthusiasm.
Here’s what actually works: Focus your pipe-protection efforts on the “danger zones”—anywhere pipes run along exterior walls (looking at you, Peskin Road ranch houses), unheated crawl spaces (common in Adelphia’s older homes), or through garages (practically every house off Sunnyside Road).
For about $15 at Lowe’s on Route 9, you can grab those foam pipe sleeves that might just save you thousands. Pro tip: Measure your pipes first—that midnight emergency run for the right size is a special form of homeowner humiliation I’ve experienced so you don’t have to.
The Magical Dripping Faucet
When forecasts predicted last year’s December deep freeze, my plumber Pete suggested the “drip method,” but with a Howell-specific twist: “Most folks just drip the cold line, but that’s only half the protection.”
Here’s Pete’s actual advice: “When we hit those teens overnight—and we always do in January—drip both hot AND cold lines, especially in those bathrooms on the north side of your house.” That north-facing detail? Critical for homes in the Winston Park development, where the winter wind basically turns those exterior walls into freezers.
Spring: When Howell’s Ground Turns to Soup
After winter releases its grip, our lovely clay-heavy soil transforms into a plumbing obstacle course.
The Great Thaw Inspection
Once temperatures consistently hit the 40s, grab a flashlight and channel your inner detective. In my Candlewood development, our pipes make a distinctive creaking sound during the first warm days—they’re expanding back to normal after winter’s contraction.
The real trouble spots emerge outside. My side yard develops a suspicious marshy patch every March—not quite wet enough to notice unless you’re looking for it. Two years ago, I ignored it. One $1,200 emergency visit later, I learned it was a cracked outdoor line that had shifted during freeze-thaw cycles.
Walk your property’s perimeter while wearing old shoes. Any unusual soggy spots deserve immediate attention, especially around the foundation where your water line enters—a common failure point in Howell’s 1980s-era developments.
Drainage Drama
Tina from Stonehill Road learned about Howell’s spring drainage challenges the expensive way: “We came home from my son’s baseball tournament to find our finished basement looking like an indoor pool.” Her sump pump had failed during one of those sudden March downpours that hit our town with remarkable regularity.
Test your sump pump before the spring rains by dumping a bucket of water into the pit—if it doesn’t kick on immediately, you’ve got trouble brewing. For about $150, you can add a battery backup system, which might seem excessive until the power goes out during the next thunderstorm (which, in Howell, happens approximately every third Tuesday between April and June).
Summer: When Howell Waters Everything
Our summer water consumption could fill Manasquan Reservoir several times over, mostly because we’re desperately trying to keep our lawns from turning into wheat fields.
Spigot Supervision
My outdoor faucet leaked so slowly last summer that I barely noticed—until my water bill arrived looking like a phone number. These tiny drips accelerate in June and July when we’re constantly attaching and removing hoses.
For about $8, you can grab a hose bib washer repair kit at Jerseyville Hardware. It’s a 15-minute fix that even the mechanically challenged (ahem, me) can handle. Your wallet will thank you come billing time.
Vacation Salvation
Before heading down to Point Pleasant for that week-long vacation, take five minutes for this Howell homeowner ritual: Turn off the main water valve.
My former colleague ignored this advice before her family’s two-week trip to Disney. She returned to find her dining room ceiling had collapsed, hardwood floors buckled, and a $30,000 renovation ahead. The culprit? A $2 washing machine hose that chose that particular moment to fail spectacularly.
Fall: When Howell Prepares for Battle
As the Monmouth County Fair ends and the pumpkin patches open, Howell homeowners have about six weeks to prepare for winter’s return.
The Outside Shutdown
Mid-October brings our first frost warnings, signaling the urgent need to put your outdoor plumbing into hibernation. Disconnect those garden hoses and drain them completely—water expands when it freezes, and that expansion can damage both the hose and the faucet it’s connected to.
My across-the-street neighbor Mark skipped this step once. By spring, the cracked pipe inside his wall had quietly dripped enough water to rot the surrounding drywall. His offhand comment—”I didn’t think it would get that cold”—has become legendary on our street, especially since he’s repeated this mistake twice.
Follow these seasonally specific tips, and you’ll join the ranks of Howell plumbing veterans who greet each weather extreme with confidence rather than dread. Our town’s weather might be unpredictable, but your plumbing doesn’t have to be.
