While Southern Arizona might be nearly immune to snow, our temperatures still drop below freezing in winter! Freezing water and the water pressure that results is the number one thing that causes pipes to burst.
If you have a pipe at home that has burst because of extremely cold temperatures, contact professional help immediately.
What to do if you Discover Burst Pipes?
A burst pipe can be catastrophic and lead to expensive damage needing to be repaired. However, some of the damage of a burst frozen pipe can be mitigated by taking quick action.
First, Shut Off the water
Find your home’s water shut off valve and turn it off to prevent flooding and further damage.
Second, open a connected faucet
After shutting off the main water supply, opening a faucet will allow any remaining water to drain out. This not only ensures there’s no water sitting in the pipes left to freeze, but will also be an outlet for the ice to thaw and drain out once you’re back to having warm pipes.
Third, call your plumber
These first two steps alone will provide damage control and help ensure no further problems will occur before a professional plumber can get there. At Al Coronado Plumbing, we offer emergency service for circumstances just like this where every second counts. By shutting off the water and opening a faucet after water freezes and your pipes burst, you’re able to prevent further pressure buildup and flooding, but now the real work of repairing your burst pipe begins.
Fourth, safely thaw your pipe. Read on to learn how!
You will need: Patience, Warm Air, and possibly a Professional
There are many ways to thaw a pipe, from direct warm air coming from a space heater to heat tape to warm water. The key is not to use too high of heat too quickly. If you boil the water in the pipe without ensuring it has somewhere to go, or if you thaw just one section that’s still surrounded by ice, you’ll be back where you started and possibly set yourself up for more pipe damage.
Thankfully in Arizona, our temperatures tend to climb throughout the afternoon and might provide all the warmth you need to thaw a pipe safely. However, if your gentle methods don’t offer smooth flowing water within an hour or two, it’s a good idea to call in the professionals.
How to Prevent Frozen Pipes?
The more water pipes are exposed to cold weather and freezing temperatures, the greater the risk of bursting water pipes. The pipes at the greatest risk are exposed pipes (not insulated) and indoor pipes in areas with enough cold air to cause a freeze, such as garages, basements, and crawl spaces.
The best way to prevent a frozen pipes burst is to insulate the most at risk pipes with foam or fiberglass sleeves. An additional tip is to keep faucets that are attached to at-risk pipes on at just a drip to prevent ice from forming.
Call Al Coronado Plumbing
There’s a reason Al Coronado Plumbing is Tucson’s trusted plumber. We value quality, honesty, cleanliness, and professional customer plumbing experience.
Al Coronado knows your time is valuable. Our fast and convenient Tucson Plumbing services aim to get you back up and running as soon as possible. From start to finish, you and your family are at the top of our Tucson Plumbers’ priority list.
Learn more and contact us today with a visit to our website.