Tag: frozen pipes

As the calendar shifts ever closer to the winter months, the risk of pipe damage due to frozen pipes increases.While scheduling an annual pipe inspection could reveal possible failing pipes early on, there is no guarantee that a sudden issue won’t arise as the temperatures dip below freezing. In today’s blog post, we’ll take a closer look at how to safely handle frozen pipes this year.

Addressing Frozen Pipes: Turn the Water Off

The first thing to do if you find frozen pipes is to turn off the water if possible. While it won’t solve the problem, it will limit the amount of water damage inside your home once they start leaking. With the water main off, setup buckets under the burst pipes and open any water fixtures inside your home. This will relieve pressure and capture residual water leaking from pipes. Monitor pipes and leaks until you can get a licensed plumber to make the repairs. 

Addressing Frozen Pipes: Thaw the Pipes

The second thing to do is to try and thaw your pipes. This can be done with a space heater or a hair dryer. Use caution to avoid causing additional damage to your home or injuring yourself. This process can be particularly risky if flammable materials get too close to the heat source. If you don’t feel comfortable thawing the pipes yourself, let a trained professional handle it.

Addressing Frozen Pipes: Check Thawed Pipes for Leaks 

The third thing to do when addressing frozen pipes involves looking for visible leaks. Once the pipes have returned to normal, leave the water main off and take a close look at your pipes. When pipes freeze and then return to normal, damage can happen as a result of the changing surface area. Leaving the water main off will prevent a mess and damaged pipes will be just as visible when empty.

Addressing Frozen Pipes: Call a Water Damage Repair Specialist

The fourth step to take involves calling trained professionals. Finding a qualified water damage restoration company may take some time, but it will pay off in the end. Hiring a professional team like Soil-Away will provide you with peace of mind and a thorough flood cleanup process. If you even think that frozen pipes and water damage are a problem in your home, don’t wait. Give our team a call. We’ll arrive quickly and help prevent a bigger mess. Make Soil-Away your one and only call. Contact us today!

Let’s face it: winters in New England are long and cold. Frozen pipes are an unfortunate circumstance that can happen in those long, cold winters. This is especially common with pipes that are in exterior walls or crawlspaces. When a pipe breaks, severe damage can occur. Often the leak will be slow, and you may not notice it for a while until a wet spot appears on the dry wall. This slow leaking process can cause mold to grow within the walls, which is very harmful to the health of the residents. While it may seem overwhelming to have to deal with a frozen pipe, restoration services like Soil-Away can help. Here are three things to do immediately when your pipes have frozen and burst.

Shut Off Water

The first thing you want to do if a frozen pipe has burst is to shut off your main water valve. This will stop water from continuing to come through the pipe and further damaging your home.

Report to Insurance

Next, report the issue to your insurance company. Call them and explain exactly what the damage is and figure out how to submit a claim. The insurance company might want to send someone out to inspect the damage in person.

Call Soil-Away Restoration Services

The third thing to do is call a restoration services company like Soil-Away. We provide 24/7 emergency services, so even if that pipe bursts in the middle of the night, we will come out. Upon arrival, we will inspect the property and do an initial assessment of the damage. We tell homeowners what the next steps are and can provide support for the insurance claims. Once the plan of action is determined, our certified water damage restoration technicians will get to work. We stay in close contact with your insurance company throughout the entire process. Once our work is complete, we will go on a final walk-through with homeowners to make sure everything is set and fully restored. Since Soil-Away provides full emergency services, we can also complete related tasks like mold removal or carpet cleaning.

Choose Soil-Away When You Need Restoration Services

Having a restoration services provider like Soil-Away just one call away 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, is very comforting. Homeowners can rest assured that even if a pipe freezes and breaks over the long, cold winter, the restoration process will be handled professionally and efficiently by Soil-Away. For more information about what to do about frozen pipes, contact us today.

The year has started out cold, and it’s going to stay cold for a while. If you haven’t prepared your pipes yet, it’s time. Nothing can ruin your cozy home like frozen pipes, and it’s important to know that water expands as it freezes. We’ve put together some tips to help you get through this vicious cold stretch with as little home damage as possible.

Protect Pipes

Frozen pipes prevent water flow, but even worse, they can eventually burst, causing damage and flooding. Luckily, there are numerous ways to prevent your pipes from freezing in sub-zero temperature. Here are the three most common ways to keep your home safe from frozen pipes.

Insulation

Insulate pipes that are exposed to cold drafts, especially in crawl spaces and attics. Keeping the water warmer means you are reducing the amount of energy needed to heat the water in the winter months. Heat tape or thermostatically-controlled heat cables can be used to wrap pipes. However, if you are not able to safely and properly install these on your own, consider hiring a professional tradesperson.

Coverage

Place an insulated dome or covering on outdoor faucets to reduce the likelihood of frozen pipes expanding. Using an indoor valve to shut off and drain water from the pipes leading to outside faucets will also help reduce the chance of freezing. You should seal leaks that allow cold air inside where pipes are located. With the cold weather, the tiniest of openings can let in enough cold air to cause a pipe to freeze. Look for air leaks around electrical wiring, dryer vents, and all pipes.

Drip Drop

A slow flow of water might be all it takes to reduce the buildup of pressure in your pipes. Even if you do end up with frozen pipes, the pressure will release in the water system. This will reduce the likelihood of a rupture.

If Frozen Pipes Occur

• If you turn on your faucets and nothing comes out, leave the faucets turned on. Then call a licensed plumber to assist with fixing the blockage.
• If your house or basement is flooding, turn off the water valve and immediately call your insurance provider and our disaster restoration team. We will meet with you at your home to evaluate the problem. Our people will work with you as you decide what services are needed: emergency restoration or just an estimate for the repairs.
• Do not touch or use electrical appliances in areas of standing water.
• Never try to thaw a pipe with a torch or other open flame because it could cause a fire hazard.

The people at Soil-Away Restoration Services are passionate about getting the job done right. So you can trust us to remove the excess moisture from your home or place of business, dry out the affected areas, and restore any water damages to your drywall, flooring, or wood components.

All our employees are certified by the IICRC, and we are the only firm in the region with an Esporta Certification. Contact us to take care of your frozen pipes or flood damage at (603) 641-6555 or visit us online at www.soilawayrestoration.com.