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SERVPRO OF UPPER BUCKS 215-536-7989 FROZEN PIPES: PREVENTION, SAFETY, AND THE AFTERMATH As reported last year, the Winter 2020 Farmers' Almanac forecast: Colder and snowier than usual. Specifically, the almanac says the Northeast can expect colder-than-average temperatures and above-normal precipitation – meaning a good accumulation of snow. It also says the season may linger as spring 2020 gets off to a slow start. Winter weather can raise all types of havoc during a storm affecting your roads, school, work, even your electric bill. But even without precipitation, one needs to remember that three months of frigid temperatures can cause serious damage to your pipes resulting in a burst pipe. It only takes one night below 20° (F) for a pipe to freeze and subzero temperatures can even cause interior pipes to freeze. Burst pipes are one of the most common causes of property damage during cold temperatures. Water damage is often the biggest cost associated with a burst pipe, especially if the flooding continues for any length of time. That’s right, something frozen can cause flooding. In fact, a one-eighth inch (3-millimeter) crack in a pipe can spew out more than 250 gallons of water per day, destroying floors, furniture, appliances and personal items. Depending on the extent of the damage, total cleanup costs can be $5,000-$70,000 or more. State Farm Insurance estimates the average insurance claim for water damage from frozen pipes is about $15,000. According to the Institute for Business and Home Safety, claim payments by all insurance companies in the past decade for those kinds of losses have exceeded $4 billion. Prevention and awareness are the key. First and foremost, consider the pipes at risk: unheated areas, crawl spaces, garages, basements, attics, etc. Even uninsulated pipes that run through walls and cabinets can freeze. These are the areas that need inspection and proper corrections made in order to prevent them from freezing and bursting. Preventative measures inside: First, once temperatures fall below freezing, by all means, leave your heat on. Now is not the time to cut back on your energy bill as the money saved cannot compare to the costs associated with a repair bill. This may go against your better judgement, especially if you are travelling or if you like to conserve energy when you are at work. Experts suggest a minimum of 55° (F) throughout your house. If you are away, open cabinet doors (remove any chemicals if you have children or pets) to circulate warmer air inside around the plumbing. This will also help with pipes that are inside your walls. In frigid temps, allow a slow drip out of all your faucets to keep the water moving. If it’s moving, it can’t freeze. Next, for any exposed, uninsulated pipes which don’t have a heat source, consider some simple DIY projects to protect them against the freeze. Pipe insulation can be purchased at any home improvement store for around .50 cents a linear foot. The insulation is a thick foam barrier that is easy to install, can be cut to any length pipe, and can be kept on year-round. Add additional insulation to the rooms like attics and basements and seal any cracks in window frames or doors. Preventive measures outside: Insulate and seal outdoor water faucets. Make sure the water is shut off and the pipe drained before installation. Pre-made faucet covers can be purchased for as little as $3 at any hardware store or online. If you cannot turn of the water for whatever reason, consider investing in heat tape to keep those pipes from freezing. Heat tape must be installed properly or it can become a fire hazard. Do not install regular heat tape to plastic pipes like PVC. If your building plumbing pipes are plastic, such as PVC water piping, use only pipe heat tape that has an automatic thermostat to control the heat tape temperature. Otherwise a very hot heating tape may damage the piping or even cause a leak. When in doubt hire a licensed plumber to install the tape. What to do if you suspect a frozen pipe: If you turn on your water and only a trickle comes out, you may have caught a frozen pipe early enough to prevent a burst pipe and water damage. If this is the case, running your water at full force should eliminate the ice build-up. Keep the water running 5 minutes to ensure the ice has melted. This process, however, will not eliminate the threat of another ice plug being formed. You will need to reevaluate insulation and overall temperature of the room and area of the affected pipe. The same steps outlined in the preventative measures section, above, may also be successful after you discover a pipe that you suspect is frozen. If these methods are unsuccessful, you may need to contact a plumber. In the meantime, continue to allow water to trickle from the faucet until adjustments can be made. What to do if you have a burst pipe: First and foremost, shut off your water. A great suggestion from our friend Sean McCabe, Owner at SERVPRO of Upper Bucks, Germantown, and Pennypack/Bustleton, “Tag your main water shut off and make sure everyone in your building knows its location. This is a good practice for year-round emergency preparedness. Many people don’t know where their water, or gas, or electric shut offs are located and those precious minutes searching for it could be the difference in thousands of dollars in repairs.” This tip is also helpful if you aren’t physically home and a friend, or neighbor, is trying to turn off your water. Bright labeled tags can be purchased online for under $2 a piece. Upon finding a burst pipe and after shutting off the main water source, call a licensed plumber immediately. In the event that the water was running for some time and there is pooled water on the floor, call a licensed water restoration company as well. As tempted as you may be to start to remove any contents affected by the water, please wait for the professionals to do so. Standing water can hide many hazardous materials including sharp items, tripping hazards, and/or chemicals. Also, any submerged electrical outlets or appliances are a risk for electrocution or worse. Once the water and contents are removed, and the pipe repair is complete, the restoration company can also inspect the flooring and walls for any additional moisture and/or repairs needed. An alternative solution: The best full-proof plan of action to prevent frozen and burst pipes is to avoid cold temperatures altogether with a move to Florida. However, if the Northeast will continue to be called your home, winter-preparedness is a must. For more information on general winterpreparedness visit https://www.ready.gov/winter-weather and for home preparation during a winter storm warning visit https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/beforestorm/preparehome.html.
SERVPRO OF UPPER BUCKS 215-536-7989
FROZEN PIPES: PREVENTION, SAFETY, AND THE AFTERMATH
As reported last year, the Winter 2020 Farmers' Almanac forecast: Colder and snowier than usual. Specifically, the almanac says the Northeast can expect colder-than-average temperatures and above-normal precipitation – meaning a good accumulation of snow. It also says the season may linger as spring 2020 gets off to a slow start. Winter weather can raise all types of havoc during a storm affecting your roads, school, work, even your electric bill. But even without precipitation, one needs to remember that three months of frigid temperatures can cause serious damage to your pipes resulting in a burst pipe. It only takes one night below 20° (F) for a pipe to freeze and subzero temperatures can even cause interior pipes to freeze.
Burst pipes are one of the most common causes of property damage during cold temperatures. Water damage is often the biggest cost associated with a burst pipe, especially if the flooding continues for any length of time. That’s right, something frozen can cause flooding.
In fact, a one-eighth inch (3-millimeter) crack in a pipe can spew out more than 250 gallons of water per day, destroying floors, furniture, appliances and personal items. Depending on the extent of the damage, total cleanup costs can be $5,000-$70,000 or more. State Farm Insurance estimates the average insurance claim for water damage from frozen pipes is about $15,000. According to the Institute for Business and Home Safety, claim payments by all insurance companies in the past decade for those kinds of losses have exceeded $4 billion.
Prevention and awareness are the key. First and foremost, consider the pipes at risk: unheated areas, crawl spaces, garages, basements, attics, etc. Even uninsulated pipes that run through walls and cabinets can freeze. These are the areas that need inspection and proper corrections made in order to prevent them from freezing and bursting.
Preventative measures inside:
First, once temperatures fall below freezing, by all means, leave your heat on. Now is not the time to cut back on your energy bill as the money saved cannot compare to the costs associated with a repair bill. This may go against your better judgement, especially if you are travelling or if you like to conserve energy when you are at work. Experts suggest a minimum of 55° (F) throughout your house. If you are away, open cabinet doors (remove any chemicals if you have children or pets) to circulate warmer air inside around the plumbing. This will also help with pipes that are inside your walls. In frigid temps, allow a slow drip out of all your faucets to keep the water moving. If it’s moving, it can’t freeze.
Next, for any exposed, uninsulated pipes which don’t have a heat source, consider some simple DIY projects to protect them against the freeze. Pipe insulation can be purchased at any home improvement store for around .50 cents a linear foot. The insulation is a thick foam barrier that is easy to install, can be cut to any length pipe, and can be kept on year-round. Add additional insulation to the rooms like attics and basements and seal any cracks in window frames or doors.
Preventive measures outside:
Insulate and seal outdoor water faucets. Make sure the water is shut off and the pipe drained before installation. Pre-made faucet covers can be purchased for as little as $3 at any hardware store or online. If you cannot turn of the water for whatever reason, consider investing in heat tape to keep those pipes from freezing. Heat tape must be installed properly or it can become a fire hazard. Do not install regular heat tape to plastic pipes like PVC. If your building plumbing pipes are plastic, such as PVC water piping, use only pipe heat tape that has an automatic thermostat to control the heat tape temperature. Otherwise a very hot heating tape may damage the piping or even cause a leak. When in doubt hire a licensed plumber to install the tape.
What to do if you suspect a frozen pipe:
If you turn on your water and only a trickle comes out, you may have caught a frozen pipe early enough to prevent a burst pipe and water damage. If this is the case, running your water at full force should eliminate the ice build-up. Keep the water running 5 minutes to ensure the ice has melted.
This process, however, will not eliminate the threat of another ice plug being formed. You will need to reevaluate insulation and overall temperature of the room and area of the affected pipe. The same steps outlined in the preventative measures section, above, may also be successful after you discover a pipe that you suspect is frozen. If these methods are unsuccessful, you may need to contact a plumber.
In the meantime, continue to allow water to trickle from the faucet until adjustments can be made.
What to do if you have a burst pipe:
First and foremost, shut off your water. A great suggestion from our friend Sean McCabe, Owner at SERVPRO of Upper Bucks, Germantown, and Pennypack/Bustleton, “Tag your main water shut off and make sure everyone in your building knows its location. This is a good practice for year-round emergency preparedness. Many people don’t know where their water, or gas, or electric shut offs are located and those precious minutes searching for it could be the difference in thousands of dollars in repairs.” This tip is also helpful if you aren’t physically home and a friend, or neighbor, is trying to turn off your water. Bright labeled tags can be purchased online for under $2 a piece.
Upon finding a burst pipe and after shutting off the main water source, call a licensed plumber immediately. In the event that the water was running for some time and there is pooled water on the floor, call a licensed water restoration company as well. As tempted as you may be to start to remove any contents affected by the water, please wait for the professionals to do so. Standing water can hide many hazardous materials including sharp items, tripping hazards, and/or chemicals. Also, any submerged electrical outlets or appliances are a risk for electrocution or worse. Once the water and contents are removed, and the pipe repair is complete, the restoration company can also inspect the flooring and walls for any additional moisture and/or repairs needed.
An alternative solution:
The best full-proof plan of action to prevent frozen and burst pipes is to avoid cold temperatures altogether with a move to Florida.
However, if the Northeast will continue to be called your home, winter-preparedness is a must. For more information on general winterpreparedness visit https://www.ready.gov/winter-weather and for home preparation during a winter storm warning visit https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/beforestorm/preparehome.html.