As winter weather hits Philadelphia region, plumber shares tips for preventing frozen pipes
When temperatures plummet, the risk of property damage goes up. Frozen pipes can burst, leading to hazards and costly repairs.
Frank Russell, the owner of FKRIV Plumbing & Heating in Levittown, Pennsylvania, said his team of plumbers has been busy responding to cold weather emergencies.
"In the last two weeks, we've probably done over two dozen frozen pipe calls," Russell said. "They can cause thousands and thousands of dollars in damage to homes."
One of Russell's customers is Levittown homeowner Alec Cespedes. Before leaving for a family vacation in St. Augustine, Florida, last month, Cespedes said he turned off the heat at his house.
"We weren't going to be here a week and a half, the house was going to be completely empty, so we wanted to save on the $300 it takes to fill up the oil tank," Cespedes said.
That ended up being a mistake, Cespedes said. The day after he returned, the ceiling in his 6-year-old daughter's bedroom collapsed, leading to a flood that damaged the drywall, hardwood floors, clothes and mattresses.
"It was just terrible all the way around," Cespedes said.
Cespedes called Russell, who traced the problem to a frozen pipe that burst in an upstairs attic. Russell said he repaired the cracked solder joint within two hours.
Since the flood, Cespedes is trying to get his house back to normal, which includes picking a new floor and replacing the furniture that was lost.
"We are dealing with insurance," he said.
He recommends other homeowners keep their heat on when they're out of town because while it is an extra expense, it could prevent a hefty repair bill.
To protect your pipes from freezing, Russell offers these three tips:
- Turn up the thermostat in your house
- Turn on your faucet to let the water trickle
- Open your attic and closet doors to let the heat in.
"There's something called heat tape that you can wrap around the pipe and also insulation can help solve that problem," Russell added.
Chris Kelso, owner of CJ Kelso Plumbing & Heating in Media, said he is also experiencing an uptick in frozen pipe calls.
