Cold temps, high winds create perfect conditions for pipes to freeze

 Shayla Patrick

Winter can be a busy time for plumbers, especially when temperatures dip into the single digits.

"Frozen pipes are always a concern when it gets this cold. Most of the time it's preventable," said Michael Johnston, owner of DeLong Plumbing.

When water freezes inside pipes, it expands and sometimes causes pipes to rupture or burst. This happens most frequently in pipes that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs.  It also happens frequently in water supply pipes that are in unheated interior areas like basements, crawl spaces, and vacant apartments.

"If it's occurring in an apartment that has apartments below it, the effects of that happening in one unit could affect others as well because of the neighboring apartments," said Andrew VanOmmbren, property manager for Battlefield Park Apartments.

When a pipe bursts inside your home, a large amount of water can escape from a small opening in just a little bit of time, but there are simple steps you can take to avoid this.

"Some things we encourage them to do would be to make sure the heat is always running.  Sometimes people are going out of town and might think to turn it off but, when it gets seriously cold, that really can't work, so definitely keep it on at a low setting," VanOmmbren said.

TLC Properties sends email blasts to remind residents of these tips.  Some units also feature smart pads that let residents control the thermostat from their smartphone if they go away and leave the heat off on a cold night. 

Here are some preventive steps for homeowners.

"I would suggest leave cabinet doors open, make sure your hoses are taken off of your outside hose beds. Also, make sure your crawl hole vents are shut, make sure your crawl hole door is on," said Johnston.

If for some reason your pipes still freeze, quick action could minimize the damage.

"The first thing you should do is shut the water off. Try to familiarize yourself with where the shutoff valve for your home is or the water meter and, at that point in time, you need to probably call the plumber and have it evaluated," Johnston said.

According to State Farm Insurance, roughly a quarter million claims are filed each year for frozen pipe damage.  It's not always covered by insurance.  So, check your policy before making the call.

Here are more tips on heating and thawing frozen pipes.

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