(WKYT) – Temperatures will drop soon, not quite as much as last week, but it will still be chilly.

For today’s good question, Sonny asks: When it comes to leaking pipes in extremely cold temperatures, how much does wind chill temperature affect the pipes in a home compared to the actual temperature?

A strong wind chill can shorten the time it takes for pipes to freeze, but only if the temperature is already below freezing. And only if the wind can reach them.

Wind chill temperature indicates how cold it feels to living things outside. It is based on heat loss from exposed skin through wind and cold.

But for inanimate objects, temperatures will not drop below freezing.

The National Weather Service says, “The only effect that wind chill has on inanimate objects, such as car radiators and water pipes, is to shorten the amount of time the object needs to cool down. The inanimate object does not cool below the actual air temperature.”

So if the actual air temperature is 35 degrees but the wind chill is 23 degrees due to the strong wind, it may be stressful on your skin and hypothermia could be an issue, but your tubes should be fine.

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