THE SEVERE COLD AND THE LACK OF SNOW INSULATION HAVE ALLOWED THE FROST TO PENETRATE THE GROUND VERY DEEP. THIS IS RECIPE FOR A LARGER THAN AVERAGE PIPE FREEZE-UPS AND SUBSEQUENT BURST

THE SEVERE COLD AND THE LACK OF SNOW INSULATION HAVE ALLOWED THE FROST TO PENETRATE THE GROUND VERY DEEP.  THIS IS RECIPE FOR A LARGER THAN AVERAGE PIPE FREEZE-UPS AND SUBSEQUENT BURST

The severe cold and the lack of snow insulation have allowed the frost to penetrate the ground very deep.  This is recipe for a larger than average pipe freeze-ups and subsequent burst.

Warning: the severe cold and the lack of snow insulation have allowed the frost to penetrate the ground very deep.  This pattern is similar to the winter of 2003.  That winter, we saw a significant number of pipes bursting from the deep cold and the lack of insulation from snow.  The next 10 days look very cold and we would not be surprised if we started seeing some problems similar to that year.  If you have issues with pipes freezing in your house or condominium or business it is a good idea to leave closets and cabinets open if there are water pipes behind those walls.  Closed, unheated spaces will stay very cold and are often the source of pipes bursting.

Running water won’t freeze so you can also leave the water dripping if you have seen issues in the past.  This may not prevent the freeze-up, but at least will reduce the pressure on the pipe.

As always, the water leak will not occur until the pipe is defrosted or thawed.

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frozen pipe and meter prevention tips to prevent frozen pipes

Keeping cold temperatures away from pipes and water meters with insulation is far easier and less expensive than replacing pipes that freeze and burst.

Our website offers information on what property owners can do before freezing weather, signs of a possible frozen pipe or meter, and steps to take in the event of a frozen or damaged water pipe or meter. Some actions customers can take to prevent frozen pipes include:

Letting a faucet fed by pipes exposed to the cold drip to prevent the water inside from freezing.

Never completely shutting off the heat in a building unless all the pipes and toilets are drained first.

Keeping the doors to rooms where the pipes and water meter are located, including sink cabinets, open so warm air can keep temperatures above freezing.

Eliminating cold drafts near water pipes (and, if indoors, the water meter) by filling cracks in walls and around windows, replacing broken glass, and installing storm windows on basement windows.

It is the responsibility of property owners to keep pipes and water meters from freezing and making appropriate service calls. If a meter freezes, the water utility company will send a service technician to replace it, but the company will not thaw frozen pipes or repair burst ones.

We also want to stress that anyone trying to thaw a pipe on their own should never use a torch or
open flame.  We would recommend contacting a licensed plumber.

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GREAT BEND, Kansas – Plumbing crews across Kansas have been busy fixing frozen and ruptured pipes due to the extremely cold temperatures.

“It’s this time of year when the temperature starts dropping like it does, and we’ve got major, major calls coming in right now,” said Barry Stalcup, owner of M&F Comfort Pro.

“We have had some freezing pipes and hydrants bursting and water coming out of the ground,” said Kirk Urban, a plumber and HVAC specialist.

To prevent this, Urban recommends heating your home to at least 60 degrees and letting tap water trickle through the pipes overnight. It’s also a good idea to make sure vents on the outside of the house are sealed against the wind.

“Some of them will have doors on them that will shut, going under there and actually putting something in front of it may maybe just a chunk of wall insulation in that cavity space would help to keep it sealed,” said Urban.

Keeping outside vents covered is important but also is unhooking hoses from faucets. It lets the water drain out and prevents the pipe from freezing and splitting.

“This shows you that when they’re put together the water actually stops back here, so this tube here has to drain. When there’s a hose on it, it doesn’t allow that to drain and then it splits,” said Stalcup.

With more extreme cold on the way, he says protecting your pipes now will prevent bigger problems later.

One of the first indications of a frozen pipe is no longer having hot water. If you call a plumber right away, they might be able to fix it before the pipe ruptures.

Did you know that one of the first indications of a frozen pipe is no longer having hot water?

When the weather gets colder, you can take several preventative measures so you don’t find yourself in a fix. Anderson said the biggest mistake people make is not protecting their property in the first place.

“In the winter time when it’s really cold and you know you have regular problems with freezing, I would turn on the faucet just barely let it trickle,” advised Anderson. “You can also, and should also, if you know you have regular problems, open the doors [under your kitchen sink] to allow ambient heat to get into the plumbing.”

He said another common problem is hoses left hooked up in the winter.

“The water can’t drain out of that so it’ll freeze,” said Anderson.

He said when homeowners go to use the hose in the spring, the hose may burst and they won’t know until it’s turned on.

If your pipes do freeze, Anderson advises calling the professionals who will bring the proper equipment to make repairs.

“This heat sends voltage in between these two electrodes and warms up the piping in between,” demonstrated Anderson.

This device they use works similar to a car battery. It heats up the pipe to thaw it out, a much safer method than using a torch or heat gun, which experts say you should never use.

Unprotected pipes and water meters can freeze and expand within hours of the onset of frigid weather. Pipes running through uninsulated exterior walls or other unheated spaces usually are at the highest risk, although pipes in heated rooms can freeze if exposed to cold drafts. The older copper lines and the older plumbing in general can be at more of a risk.

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Tips to prevent cold-weather disasters inside your home or business

Larry and Debbie Barnes took a few precautionary steps to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself when temperatures drop well below freezing this week.

Larry and Debbie, who co-own Jackson Industrial Sales, returned home to find their house flooded after water pipes froze and broke in January 2014.

Larry said the problem began when a line that carries cold water to the hot water heater froze.

“The hot water heaters are still upstairs,” Larry said. “But, what I did, I covered the pipes with PVC foam covering. But the primary thing to watch for is the outside faucets. We recommend some sort of faucet (cover) to prevent freezing.”

Additional steps, especially when he and Debbie leave town, include cutting off water at the main, and flushing and turning off all toilets.

Larry said he upgraded and insulated pipes.

“You want to make sure the outside vents are closed, and make sure no water hose is connected,” Larry said. “We were out of our house from January through April. We had to redo the hardwood and tile flooring, and we got back in the house in May.”

Larry said the same severe weather didn’t affect the facility that houses their business, which is located at 224 State St.

“No complications there,” Larry said. “The warehouse is cold, and it’s too expensive to make it comfortable like an office. We keep the temperature in the 40s, and hopefully it will be OK.”

Roger Smith, partner at Thompson & Smith Insurance, said frozen pipes at a business can affect more than someone’s livelihood.

“We insure warehouses and doctor’s offices, and frozen pipes can affect their ability to open,” Smith said. “It’s not just the homeowner, but if you do have an incident with a burst water line in your home or business, call your agent immediately, no matter the time or day.”

Smith said the agent should be able to get you some assistance in getting the source of the damage repaired while getting the cleanup started on the property in question to minimize the damage.

“If your home or business has a foundation crawlspace, make sure all vents and access points are closed, and make sure to disconnect hoses from exterior faucets,” Smith said. “If the extent to which your agent helps you is in providing a phone number to the insurance company to report the claim, you may need a new agent.”

Charlie Garrett of Garrett’s Plumbing & Heating has his own laundry list of items when dealing with frigid temperatures.

“People don’t think about it, but dripping water goes a long way,” Garrett said. “Drip both hot and cold, because a hot water heater can freeze. The basic things, you just forget about them after about two days into a hard freeze. It can just create damages that are not fun.”

Garrett said the homeowner should open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to pipes, and recommended finding a comfortable setting for your thermostat, and leaving well enough alone.

Some residents may use alternative heating, which can cause more problems than frozen pipes.

“The common problems we see are people trying to heat with the oven or cook stove,” Alamo’s Brad Laman, HLC (Cullipher) LLC, said. “Using outside heaters inside puts off carbon monoxide, and they are not approved for inside use.”

Laman said other problems are created when someone removes gas grill bottles from their grill, and brings them into their home and attaches them to a heater.

“They are not designed to be inside the house, and if they leak, gas will be leaking inside the house, or if the pressure-relief valve releases, it will release propane inside the house.”

Laman added another common problem exists when flammable items are located too close to a heater.

“Ideally, you need a four-foot space around the heater,” Laman said. “We’re lucky we don’t have more house fires.”

Roger Smith said when the temperature hits the teens or colder, as it will today, that’s when claims are filed.

“In March 2014, we probably had eight to 10 claims, claims that exceeded the deductible,” Smith said. “When we get down in the teens … that’s when people need to be conscious.”

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To keep your home safe during this cold spell, Metropolitan recommends the following:

Pipes

·         Disconnect garden hoses before cold weather comes. A connected hose could cause the short length of pipe that goes into the house to freeze and burst.

·         Insulate pipes in the attic and crawl spaces.

·         If your home or business has a foundation crawlspace, make sure all vents and access points are closed.

·         When freezing weather hits, allow a slow drip from hot and cold faucets. This will relieve pressure on the system and allow water to circulate.

·         Open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to pipes.

·         Set your thermostat no lower than 55 degrees.

·         Consider a leak alarm or automatic water shutoff system.

·         If a pipe does freeze and burst, make sure everyone in your home knows where the main water shutoff valve is.

The Fire Department urges residents to use extreme caution with supplemental heating units during cold weather.

Having a working smoke alarm and home escape plan dramatically increases your chances of surviving a fire. Carbon-monoxide detectors are also recommended whenever gas-burning appliances are used within the home.

Space heaters

•Keep space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn — including furniture, blankets, curtains and paper products.

•Choose space heaters that turn off automatically if they tip over.

•Never use a space heater to dry clothing.

•Turn off space heaters before you go to bed.

•In a kerosene heater, use only the proper fuel.

•Refuel a heater outside, after it has cooled.

Fireplaces and wood stoves

•Have a service person inspect and clean your chimney or wood stove each year.

•Use a metal or glass fireplace screen to keep sparks from hitting nearby carpets or furniture.

•Keep air inlets on wood stoves open.

•Keep kindling, paper and decor away from fireplaces and wood stoves.

•Never use gas or lighter fluid to start a fireplace or wood stove.

•Burn only seasoned hardwood. Burning soft, moist wood causes a lot of creosote build-up and can cause a chimney fire.

•Don’t burn cardboard boxes, newspapers or trash. They burn too hot and can cause a chimney fire.

•Be sure vent pipes extend at least three feet above the roof.

•Install stovepipe thermometers to check flue temperatures.

•Follow manufacturer’s instructions for installing and maintaining fireplaces and wood stoves.

Electric wall heaters

•Temperature control units may automatically turn themselves on when the temperature drops below the thermostat setting.

•Because they do not operate in summer months these units are often forgotten about and may have furniture and other combustible items located within close proximity.

•Electric wall heaters should be checked to ensure no combustible materials are located within at least a three-foot radius.

•The units should be inspected prior to the onset of cold weather.

Don’t forget family pets — bring them indoors. If they can’t come inside, make sure they have enough shelter to keep them warm and that they can get to unfrozen water.

Set your thermostat no lower than 55 degrees and keep kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors open so the heat can reach pipes.

Insulate pipes in the attic and crawl spaces. Run water, even at a trickle, to help prevent pipes from freezing.

Be very cautious if you are using heat other than the HVAC system in your house. Do not leave “space heaters” to operate without someone being near, place all combustibles at least 3 feet away from the heater, and do not fall asleep while using one.