Just 3 days ago, residents in South Dakota woke up to temperatures well below zero. Minus 15 in Sioux Falls and even lower in some our northern cities. These kinds of temps do a number on pipes under mobile homes. Whether you call it your primary home or own a lakeside mobile home, it's crucial to take action when we go into a deep freeze so it doesn't become a very expensive problem.

A few tips to prevent freezing and bursting pipes:

  • Probably the most important is the use of heat tape. Getting under the house and coiling heat tape around the pipes is the best preventative measure. Ideally, get heat tape with a thermostat built in so it doesn't use electricity in the warmer months.
  • Keep heat in the house. This may seem like a no-brainer but many folks lock up their secondary use mobile homes on Labor Day and return on Memorial weekend. This can end in disaster if preventative measures aren't in place. If you don't use the mobile home all winter, turn the water off completely and blow out the lines.
  • Open the cabinet doors under all sinks: Keep the same temperature under the sinks as constant as you can.
  • Leave the faucets on a slow trickle. Try to get them on the slowest trickle as possible. (Drip...drip...drip...) Many may balk at the water bill but it beats having to install new plumbing.
  • Is the skirting around the mobile home secure? If you see gaps and openings, seal them. It makes a huge difference! Use rags, a sealant, styrofoam, anything to stop cold winds from entering.

A few tips on how to deal with frozen pipes:

  • Soak towels in hot water and wrap them around the pipe under the sinks.
  • Warm water and salt poured slowly down the drain can release the ice just enough to get it flowing again.
  • Use a hairdryer on the pipes. This may be slow process but never use open flame.
  • It's not too late to install the aforementioned heat tape. It will thaw the pipes.

Author's note: My experience with frozen pipes come from a mobile home property we own up north. We love to ice fish all winter and occasionally visit on cold weekends to enjoy the fireplace and family dinners. I've been on the wrong end of the frozen pipe dilemma and hope these tips work for you as did for me. Thanks for reading.

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17 Animals You Can Hunt All Year in South Dakota

South Dakota loves to hunt. It's not only one of the state's most popular pastimes, but it's also big business. Especially South Dakota's famous Pheasant season.

There are seasons for hunting deer, antelope, turkey, and even bison. Plenty of opportunities to get that freezer in the garage stocked up.

The South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks Department is the place to go for info about hunting licenses and specific rules and regulations for hunting in South Dakota.


Hunting most game in South Dakota is restricted to specific hunting seasons. Like deer and pheasant seasons in the fall.

But there are also animals you can hunt year-round in South Dakota.

There are still some rules to follow, like where exactly you can hunt. South Dakota has millions of acres of public and private land to hunt on. And you'll still need a hunting license.

So, always check with the South Dakota Game, Fish, and Parks Department for the latest information and regulations.

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