Water leaks are always troublesome, but burst pipes create instant and sometimes long-lasting damage to a home. As freezing temperatures and snow hit parts of Oregon on Thursday, it’s time to think ...

Heat tape or a built-in heating element helps protect against freezing, but misuse can cause pipe damage. Choose self-regulating heat tape or a hose heater that adjusts to outside temperature changes.

RUTH COLEMAN, a schoolteacher in Somerset, Pa., came home to find her basement flooded. The whole house was tied into the floor drain, so when it was clogged, nothing in the house worked. She called ...