Subzero temperatures causing frozen, broken water pipes in southern Colorado for the holiday weekend
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Temperatures below zero overnight Wednesday and Thursday
have already frozen exposed water pipes that eventually will crack, break and leak as the weather warms up.
One local plumber said that a customer's pipes froze while installing a new water heater.
"After the installation, we had to thaw the pipes out," he said.
While Christmas weekend isn't the best or the most convenient time to repair frozen pipes -- and clean up the accompanying water damage or other mess -- local plumbers are preparing to be busy responding to repair calls.
"We've already had around ten calls today and will probably get more tomorrow," said Robbie Petersen, project manager for Mr. Rooter plumbing in Colorado Springs. "We don't mind having to work this weekend because we're helping people in need, and that's what we do. I expect we'll have around 30 repair jobs, but that's not counting all the other plumbers."
Petersen advises residents to avoid trying to thaw frozen pipes or repair cracked piped themselves.
"You could start a fire or make the damage even worse," he explained. "Let a licensed plumber handle it."
Frozen water pipes are a tricky situation because residents may not realize their pipes are frozen or cracked until after they thaw in warmer weather, and temperatures are expected to be in the 50s by Sunday.
Petersen said that you should turn your water off if you think you have frozen or busted pipes, to prevent serious damage until a plumber arrives.
He also said that leaving a trickle of water running from faucets can serve two purposes -- keep water in the pipes moving and less likely to freeze, and relieve pressure in the pipes if they do freeze.
"You can insulate your pipes," he said. "Kitchen pipes and any pipes near an outer wall that's closer to freezing weather are the most vulnerable. Open the cabinets under your sinks to allow warmer air to flow there. Or use hard plastic pipes that are more flexible ad less expensive than copper."
