Frozen pipes are becoming a big concern with the power out, especially as we get into Friday’s frigid temperatures in Metro Detroit.
Local 4 spoke with an expert who knows how to keep the water running.
If you lost power in Wednesday’s (Feb. 22) ice storm, and you go to turn on your sink, and nothing comes out, the problem could be hidden in the pipes.
“People are calling me, left and right, about what they should do to keep their pipes from freezing,” said plumber Todd Wall. “They keep telling me, ‘What should I do? I don’t want it to freeze.’”
Wall is a popular guy this time of year, and his answer is simple.
“I tell them just to let the water run,” Wall said. “That’s all they can really do right now, just let it drip, the hot and the cold side, for all the faucets. Even if it makes the water bill higher, it will prevent it from freezing and splitting and making damage.”
Wall said the same goes for your shower. He suggests that you keep it running until the power and heat turn back on.
“It doesn’t have to be pouring out of there,” Wall said. “Even a fast drip or even like a small pour like that.”
Otherwise, you may be out of luck.
“If it stays frozen for too long, it will expand the pipe, and it will burst, and then when it starts to thaw out, water starts pouring everywhere,” Wall said. “It’s bad.”
It doesn’t take a lot for your pipes to freeze as just a day or two with no power and temps dipping below 32 degrees.
Wall says if you catch it early enough, there is a tool to save your frozen pipes from bursting. It’s called a hot shot.
“If people call me and they don’t have any water coming out because it’s frozen, we have a machine that will send electricity through any metallic surface piping, like copper, it will send electricity through it, and that thaws it out for them,” Wall said.
Another tip Wall suggested was not to use insulation as it only makes the pipes freeze faster, acting like a jacuzzi. He also suggested emptying out your pipes as it is a more long-term solution, like for a home that sits empty all winter long.