Winter Pipe Freezes

7/28/2017 (Permalink)

The indirect fired heater was used by SERVPRO of East Lansing / Haslett at a large commercial water loss caused by a pipe break.

Many people welcome the crisp, frosty winter weather, but nobody welcomes pipe-related headaches that come with the dropping temperatures. Frozen pipes are far more common than most would think, affecting hundreds of thousands of families every winter. 

The best way to handle pipe freezes are to prevent them in the first place.

Follow these SERVPRO Tips:

Spend a little, Save a lot:

Temperatures only need to be at or below 31 degrees for your pipes to freeze and cause you a headache. Even if your house is 45 degrees, waterlines close to exterior walls (I.E. baseboard heaters) can be significantly colder because of their proximity to an uninsulated exterior wall, your house may be 45 degrees, but your pipes may be dangerously close to freezing.

Spend the extra few dollars in fuel, and save yourself a lot of time and frustration in the long run.

Let your pipes feel the heat:

Be sure to keep your pipes insulated to ensure warmth.

Open cabinet doors to allow uninsulated pipes under sinks and appliances close to exterior doors, allowing the heat from your house to heat your pipes.

Keep it moving:

Keeping a faucet open to allow a continuous drip ensures that the water in your pipes are moving and decreases the chance of a freeze significantly.

In the event that you ever find yourself on the wrong end of a pipe-related problem, our SERVPRO team would be happy to lend a helping hand!

If you do have the unfortunate situation of freezing/busting pipes, call your local plumber to stop the leaking. Then, immediately call SERVPRO of East Lansing / Haslett to clean up the water damage before any additional damage occurs. We're here for you 24 hours a day.