Bitter cold causes lots of freezing pipe concerns - ABC 12 – WJRT – Flint, MI
Member Center:
(01/23/13)- With the blast of bitter cold this week, it's important to remember
that freezing temperatures can be hazardous to your property. Local plumbers say
they have seen an increase in calls from customers whose pipes have either
frozen or burst because of the weather conditions.
At Goddeyne plumbing and heating in Bay City, owner Gary Gotowka says his crews
work around the clock. This week, his workers have been busy thawing frozen
pipes and replacing burst ones. Typically, piping problems increase when
temperatures dip and go back up above the freezing mark, the frozen water
expands and weakens the pipe causing lines that were frozen to split open. The
damage left behind can be costly. Gotowka offers this advice to homeowners.
"Wrap any water lines that are exposed in a crawl space or under the house,
mobile homes especially, they are very vulnerable to frozen pipes, a lot of them
have plastic plumbing and they freeze quickly. Heat tape is another good thing
to use, you can buy that almost anywhere. Keep the pipes from getting exposed to
the cold air."
Experts say you can also prevent pipes from freezing by allowing a steady stream
of water to drip from your faucet. Also open your cabinets and closets that have
pipes inside. If the pipes are exposed to warmer air they are less likely to
freeze.
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