Deep Freeze Keeps Local Plumbers Busy
It has been a busy 24 hours for A-Aart’s and Tim’s Plumbing in Osseo.
Plumber Mark Moengen had to make a service call to a home in Bloomington Thursday after the homeowner noticed water was not coming out the faucets.
“We’re going to be repairing a broken water pipe under the front step,” said Moengen.
The water pipes are located inside a room housing an old water well that was blocked off by a bookcase, preventing any heat from getting in.
“You can see frost on the concrete,” said Moengen.
The homeowner tried to thaw the pipe by using a hairdryer. When it thawed, water poured out from the leak. Moengen says situations like this can happen when pipes freeze.
“That water expands inside the pipe and it has nowhere to go,” he said.
Tips to Prevent Pipes Bursting
Moengen is now replacing the old pipe and moving it away from the cold concrete. He says problems like this often go unnoticed, until it is too late.
“If you’re not home, or you don’t use that particular sink in that area of the house you won’t know it’s frozen and broke until it thaws out, and the water starts pouring,” said Moengen.
Plumbers say simply opening kitchen cabinets during extremely cold weather can prevent pipes from bursting. You can also protect pipes by wrapping them with heat tape. Another tip is to let the water run at the lowest faucet in your home, with a stream no bigger than a pencil.
“It’s saving a catastrophe in the future,” said Moengen.
