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May 18, 2022
What to Do When A Frozen Pipe Bursts
When the temperature drops, pipes in your home can freeze. Unfortunately, frozen pipes can burst and cause extensive damage. A pipe bursting is never a good thing, and it can cause water to leak and soak floors, furniture, appliances, and more - not to mention the damage it can do to your house's foundation. Your first call should be to Beall Contracting and get them on board to help with pipe repair. We can send a professional plumber to repair frozen pipes.
In the meantime, make sure to shut the water before any significant thawing begins. Wait for other pipes to thaw, turn on faucets, and flush toilets, so water flows through the system properly.
When A Pipe Freezes, Will It Always Burst? How To Prevent Pipes From Bursting?
When a pipe freezes, it will not always burst. However, when a pipe freezes, the water inside expands and can cause damage to your home or business. If you have an outdoor faucet that has frozen, it is better to leave it alone than try to force it open. If the water is shut off at the main, you can use a hairdryer on low heat to thaw the faucet. In most cases, when you notice that your pipes are frozen, there is not much that can be done other than waiting for them to thaw out on their own.
You can do several things to prevent your pipes from freezing and bursting. Once the temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, make sure that you keep your home as warm as possible by turning up your thermostat and keeping windows open during cold weather days when there is no wind blowing outside. You should also make sure that any areas where there are leaks or cracks in walls or floors are repaired immediately before winter arrives. There is no chance of freezing temperatures causing these areas to expand, breaking open once they freeze up again.
If you live in an area where temperatures drop below freezing during the winter months, it is recommended that you install insulation around all pipes to keep them warm enough, so they don't freeze.
What To Do When A Frozen Pipe Bursts?
A burst pipe can be an absolute nightmare, so it's important to know what to do if it happens. The following are some of the steps you should take:
- Shut Off The Water: If you have a water meter, stop the water flow by turning off the valve at the meter. If not, shut off all faucets and flush toilets until the water stops running. This will help prevent further damage to your home and possessions.
- Shut Off Electricity: If your pipes burst near an electrical outlet or switch, shut off power immediately by turning off the circuit breaker or fuse box located near your outside main electrical panel. If you don't know where this is located, call an electrician.
- Call A Plumber: Call a plumber immediately after shutting off electricity and water because a burst pipe can cause severe damage if left unattended for too long.
- Turn On Faucets and Flush Toilets: The first thing you should do when a pipe bursts is turn on all faucets in the house and flush all toilets. This will help prevent more water from entering the room where the burst occurred (and outside of it) so that it doesn't cause even more damage.
- Clean Up Water: Once you've turned on all faucets and flushed all toilets, it's time to clean up the water that has already escaped. Use towels or paper towels to soak up as much water as possible. Don't forget to leave doors open so that air can circulate in the room.
- Documentation: While you're cleaning up, take pictures of any damage that has been done so far so that you have proof if anything else happens further down the road (i.e., mold growth).
- Warm pipes and open doors: Use an insulated blanket or towel to warm up the pipe and stop it from freezing again. Open cabinets under the sink and leave them open while working on the leak. This will help prevent freezing in other parts of your home if there is no heat in that room, like in an unfinished basement or attic.
Deal With The Problems Urgently
Do not ignore your plumbing problems when they happen. A burst, frozen pipe can do a lot of harm to your home and, if you don't deal with it fast, can cause a lot of damage. Your health and home are vital, especially during winter. Beall Contracting is a local plumbing company that provides emergency plumbing services and can fix those leaks fast!
Call us today for your emergency plumbing needs.