Pipes are freezing and bursting at an alarming rate locally and around the state as a result of the freezing cold temperatures and power outages.
Josh Miller, owner at D.R. Plumbing, said in a public Facebook post that he’s “never seen anything like this,” and it “was a bad day to be a plumber in Flower Mound.”
On Monday alone, “I talked to over 200 people through the day, saw five homes completely flooded, multiple customers in tears because of their homes being destroyed and nothing that could be done to help,” Miller said.
Most people know the general advice about how to prevent their pipes from freezing (let faucets drip, keep the cabinets below the sinks open), but without power and heat, dripping faucets often aren’t enough, and the pipes freeze and burst. That’s been happening a lot, according to many local plumbers who have been very busy since Monday.
The sign of a frozen pipe is one or more faucets no longer dispensing water. Many frozen pipes don’t burst and turn out OK.
The National Weather Service offers the following advice: if your pipes are frozen, know where and how to turn off your water main before there is a problem. You can call a plumber, water department or fire department’s non-emergency line for help turning your water off. Also, listen and watch closely for signs of water where it shouldn’t be, and turn your water off before leaving the home for an extended time, just to be safe.
Before using the washing machine, pour several gallons of boiling or hot water down the drain, advises Danny Cobb at Bernard’s Plumbing. Most issues with washing machines during freezes arise because the P-Trap fitting will freeze and water can’t drain out of the washer, sending water back into the laundry room.
