Frozen Pipes

3/12/2021 (Permalink)

This damage was caused by a frozen pipe that busted in the attic.

In recent times, frozen pipes busting has become an afterthought for West Tennessee due to our mild winters.  This year we were hit with temperatures lower than we have seen in many years and we were flooded with calls from property owners from Ripley, TN to Bolivar, TN to Somerville, TN and everywhere in between.

People don't realize how destructive water can be until they experience it first hand.  But there are several precautions you can take to avoid the devastation that can occur with busted pipes.

• If you are leaving town, turn your water off at the main shut off or the shut off at your meter.  This is a good idea any time of year.
• After water is shut off, open faucets to relieve pressure.
• Place insulated covers on your outside spigots.
• Close vents on your crawl space.
• Leave faucets dripping.
• Open cabinet and vanity doors to allow heat in.  Especially if they back up to an exterior wall.
• Make sure all plumbing in attic is insulated.

All of these steps will help prevent pipes from busting.  But even if you take every precaution, it can still happen.  The photo below is damage from a frozen attic pipe that busted.  Our customer had followed all precautions listed above except that the water was on.  They were out of town when this happened and their entire downstairs, including the garage was damaged and required demolition/removal. 

And if it does happen, just know that we are always just a phone call away here at SERVPRO of Fayette, Haywood, Hardeman and Lauderdale counties.