What to Do When Pipes Freeze

When you are struck with a catastrophe such as pipes freezing and bursting, a trusted master plumber will be able to come to the rescue for your frozen pipe damage. This tragic event could cost thousands of dollars to repair, so it's important to trust an expert who knows exactly how to handle such a plumbing issue.

In the event that this does happen given the extreme seasonal weather in the Albany area, it's important to call a master plumber that you can trust with affordable emergency rates. Here at Empire State Plumbing, Inc. we can handle such emergency situations day or night, with affordable prices. We can also put you in touch with our network of contractors that specialize in water damage mitigation and restoration.

Let's talk about frozen pipe preventative measures that can help you out in the future. Most people take a vacation in the winter to escape the severe cold, so here are some key actions to consider:

• You'll want to make sure your pipes are properly insulated on the exterior perimeter of your home's basement or crawlspace.
• Locate your main water valve in the home, so you know where it is in the event of a plumbing emergency.
• Look for any exposed pipes in unheated areas of the home and or around the outer perimeter of the home. You should get these pipes properly insulated before leaving your home vulnerable to the threat of bitter cold.
• Make sure that your furnace or boiler is set no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
• You can shut off the main water supply and drain out the system by flushing the toilets and opening all the faucets.
• You can also call our certified technicians to assist you before you leave, to ensure proper preventative measures before you travel.

How do you know if your pipes are frozen? You will visually see that no water is flowing when you engage the faucet, or your toilets may not refill when you flush them. This is a sure sign that your pipes are frozen. Do not attempt to unfreeze your pipes by yourself using a hair dryer or space heater of some sort. This could be potentially dangerous and you could cause more damage to the frozen pipe itself, in turn causing weakness to the pipe, and having it burst later on. Give us a call and we will be able to assist you with care and expertise in proper handling, in order to properly thaw our your pipes and prevent them from bursting causing water damage.