Frozen Pipes | Video

Amy Fox | 1/22/2013

We`re in the heart of winter weather. Those extremely cold temperatures can mean more wear and tear on your home. For local plumbers, that means repairing frozen pipes. And, of course, that`s going to cost you. But, is there any way to prevent pipes from freezing?

Outside it`s in the single digits, but inside, business is heating up for local plumbers. “We’ve had some issues, but not nearly as many as we’ve dealt with in the past couple of years,” said C&C Plumbing Service/Office Manager Dan Reiter.

When water freezes, it expands, much like a can of soda that you put in the freezer and forget about.

Reiter explains, "When they freeze, the water expands more than people realize. And, most of the time, the pipes will burst. And, when they thaw out, the pipes are behind the walls. So, you could end up with a big mess."

Plumbers are not the only ones staying busy. The Minot Fire Department responded to several calls last night for frozen sprinkler systems.

"When we get cold weather and the winds blowing hard, sometimes the wind will go through a little crack in the foundation or part of the building and hit a section of that sprinkler pipe, which is full of water, “ said Minot Fire Department Chief John Hocking. “And, wherever it hits, it`s going to freeze."

While there may be no visible signs of frozen pipes at first, once the temperature breaks, things could change.

Reiter said, "You actually won`t know where the line is frozen because it`s inside a wall."

"They don`t necessarily need to show up that particular day. Like I said, it could be a day later," said Hocking.

By insulating your home and keeping your heat up, you may eliminate a call to a plumber or the fire department. "If there is a risk of freezing, just let the water run at a slow pace to keep it from freezing. Also, extra installation around windows and doors, that kind of thing, keeps drafts from entering a home and the walls," said Reiter.

With more cold temperatures expected, we can only hope our homes are equipped to handle a real North Dakota winter.

If your sprinkler freezes, Hocking says to call Central Dispatch at 852-0111 to help turn off your system.

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