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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

Frozen Pipes Bursting

1/6/2022 (Permalink)

busted pipe with water coming out Busted pipes will cause a sever amount of water damage.

Ways a frozen pipe can burst and what to do:

WHY FROZEN PIPES BURST

During cold months and snow storms, temperatures can drop to below freezing.  When temperatures get that low, water in pipes start to freeze.  A frozen pipe expands about 9% larger than normal which causes pipes to burst.  At first, you may not notice a leaking or busted pipe due to the water inside being frozen.  However, when the ground thaws, and the water unfreezes, that leak will become very significant.  At this point, you will want to turn off the water source immediately.  SERVPRO of Fredericksburg suggests labeling the main water shut off in the home and making all family members aware of where it is and how to operate it. 

WHAT TO DO NOW

When the water is turned off, contact a plumber immediately.  If you have knowledge of fixing busted pipes, you can consider doing the work yourself. Before turning the water back on, the plumbing must be fixed.  During the course of the busted pipe, you will most likely have water damage inside the home to fix.  This is when you will want to call your home insurance to get them to set up a date where a restoration company, such as SERVPRO of Fredericksburg, can fix the damage in your home. If you do not have insurance, SERVPRO of Fredericksburg can still come out and estimate the job, along with doing the work if that’s what you choose.  Either way, water damaged floors, walls, ceilings and contents need to be restored as quickly as possible.  Mold growth will start after 24 hours of being exposed to water. 

PREVENT FROZEN PIPES

To prevent pipes from bursting, SERVPRO of Fredericksburg recommends insulating your pipes.  If that is too big of a job or an inconvenience, what you can do is open your cabinet doors in cold weather.  This will allow the warmer temperatures from inside your home to warm the pipes.  Also, a third and final option that you can do in connection with the others is open the faucet farthest from the main water source, just a bit, to allow a few droplets out every so often. This will keep the water in the pipes flowing, making it harder for them to freeze. 

WHO TO CALL

If your pipes burst, give SERVPRO of Fredericksburg a call at 540-373-7000.  We can take care of the water damages, the insurance process for you, recommend a plumber if needed, along with repair company.  Let us do the hard work for you!

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