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Prevent frozen pipes in your Fleetwood home or business ~ NY 10552

By
Home Builder with Servpro of Scarsdale / Mount Vernon Fire/Water Certified

 

Steps to Help Prevent Frozen Pipes—or Unfreeze Them

 
Help Prevent Frozen Pipes

Freezing Temperatures Can Lead to Frozen Pipes and Water Damage

 

frozen pipe leak water damage wet basement attic 911 emergency help fleetwood ny 10552 westchester county
 

You wake up on a cold winter morning, head into the bathroom or kitchen, turn the faucet and … a trickle. Or, nothing at all.  

 

You have a frozen pipe. What do you do now? Better yet, how do you avoid this messy, potentially expensive situation in the first place?

 

Or, there is a water main break from freezing nights and warmer days up to 40 degrees, and your lower level is flooded, or a basement.  The city may come and help with extracting water, but you'll want to professionally dry the floor, any carpet or rugs and prevent mold by summer!

 

Here are some tips from our friends at Safeco Insurance (we have a national account with these pros), to help keep the water flowing inside, even as a deep freeze sets in outside:

 

Before It Gets Cold

  • Drain water supply lines to your sprinkler and swimming pool. Don't put antifreeze in the lines; spills or leaks can threaten pets, wildlife and landscaping.

 

  • Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses before putting them in storage. Place an inexpensive foam cover over the faucet. Better yet, close the inside valves that supply water to the hose bibs. Then open the outside hose bibs to let any remaining water drain out, and leave them open.
     
  • frozen pipe leak water damage wet basement attic 911 emergency help fleetwood ny 10552 westchester countyInsulate water pipes with pipe sleeves, heat tape or heat cable, particularly pipes that run through unheated areas of the house, such as attics, basements, crawl spaces and garages.

 

 

 

 

As Temperatures Drop

  • Keep your house warm, and allow the warm air to circulate as much as possible. Seal drafts and keep interior doors open. If you’re going to be gone for an extended period, don’t turn off the heat. Keep it set to at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit 

 

  • Open cabinet doors under kitchen and bathroom sinks to allow heat to reach the pipes. Be sure to move cleaners and other chemicals out of reach of children and pets.
     
  • Open indoor faucets, hot and cold, to allow a trickle of water. Flowing water is less likely to freeze.

 

 

When a Pipe Freezes

  • frozen pipe leak water damage wet basement attic 911 emergency help fleetwood ny 10552 westchester countyThe first thing to do, faced with the telltale trickle, is try to find where the pipe is frozen. Keep the faucet open, and open other faucets in the house to determine if the problem is widespread. If it is, turn off the main water supply and call a plumber, plus a certified restoration company. We can save your hardwood floors and even carpeting in the first 48 (hours).

 

  • If it's a single pipe, and you can reach the frozen section, try using a hair dryer, heating pad or portable space heater – just never leave it running unattended. Keep the faucet open and work up and down the pipe, starting at the faucet and working backward to the frozen section. Apply heat until full water pressure returns, then reduce the flow to a trickle until the cold snap ends.


  • An alternative method: Wrap the frozen section with towels soaked in hot water. Don't pour hot water directly on a frozen pipe, and don't use a propane torch or other open flame.

 

 

frozen pipe leak water damage wet basement attic 911 emergency help fleetwood ny 10552 westchester countyIf these steps don't work, or if you have a leaking or burst pipe, don't hesitate to turn off the main water supply and call in a licensed plumber.

And, be sure to touch base with your insurance agent, too, like Joseph Bruno Insurance in Eastchester, NY.

Call them and check in, preferably before a crisis. You'll want to know whether you're covered for burst pipes and the ensuing water damage.

 

 

Stay warm...from your neighbors in Fleetwood off of Westchester Ave., 

~ Forrest & Hillary!

 

Posted by

____________________________________________________________________________________

Hillary Sheperdfire water mold cleaning restoration flood soot puffback scarsdale mount vernon, ny

Vice President / Co-Owner, 

Servpro of Scarsdale /Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon, NY  10550

914-669-5181

Servpro of Scarsdale / Mount Vernon

Flood, fire, mold remediation

Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Hillary -  an ounce of prevention will include the points you mentioned.  But when pipes break the cleanup will prevent mold and other damage.

Jan 28, 2016 06:55 AM
Women of Westchester Working Together
Women of Westchester Working Together - West Harrison, NY
Women helping Women get ahead

Oh yes, I so agree w/ Grant's comment.  But, now I'm hoping for melting.  I want that white stuff gone.

Jan 28, 2016 08:54 AM
Hillary Sheperd
Servpro of Scarsdale / Mount Vernon - Scarsdale, NY
Co-Owner ~ Servpro of Scarsdale / Mount Vernon, NY

Thanks Grant and you are so right.  Better to not have a leak with this warm up after freezing temps.  But, a professional cleanup will prevent further damage and mold growth.  

 

Debbie:  Yes, it's lovely to see on the first day, but by now we're sick of the dirty snow everywhere and the black ice it creates, melting during daytime and freezing up again overnight.

Jan 29, 2016 12:22 AM