February 18th, 2015
Burst pipes and water main breaks are just some of the
effects winter has caused across the twin tiers. Freezing pipes can cause
serious damage to homes and businesses if not prevented or taken care of.
Water expands as it freezes. This expansion puts tremendous
pressure on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes. No
matter the "strength" of a container, expanding water can cause pipes
to break.
We recommend during cold weather a good way to keep your
pipes thawed is turn on a faucet and let just a trickle come out. Likely places
for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service
enters your home through the foundation.
In your kitchen or bathroom, leave the cabinets open to
allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Also keep the thermostat set
to the same temperature during the day and night. This can help prevent a
costly repair job if pipes freeze or burst.
If your pipes are frozen but have not burst yet, apply heat
until water pressure is restored. We
suggest using a heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a
portable space heater, or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water.
Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane
heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device as this method can and will
cause fires. Several fires have already
been caused of using blowtorch of propane heater to thaw the pipes.