Frozen Pipes in Taunton homes often result in water damage due to burst pipes

1/6/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Says Additional Attic Insulation Can Prevent Frozen Pipes and Water Damage to Your Taunton Home

Frozen Pipes in Taunton Spell Water Damage

If you are among the many Taunton home and business owners who have experienced a burst pipe due to frozen pipes in winter months, you are not alone. At SERVPRO, our trained professionals are here to help. You may have a flooded basement on your hands, and we have the experience and equipment to clean it up quickly.

Water damage is among the most common result of frozen pipes in northern climates. Water lines are always full of water, and when the temperature drops below freezing, the water freezes in the pipes and expands to the point that it bursts pipes that are not insulated properly. It may be that the pipe has broken at the seam or even cracked in a wall or crawlspace. We have the expertise to find the leaking pipe quickly, repair the damaged pipe, and even clean up the floodwater left behind. 

If you have frozen pipe damages in Taunton, our SERVPRO team is here to assist you every step of the way. Our 24-hour services are available to help keep damage from a burst pipe to a minimum. Day or night, we are eager to assist you if you have frozen pipes in your home or business.

Common problems caused by frozen pipes

If you have a residential property or commercial building, winter months and poorly insulated pipes are a common cause of water damage and even flooded basements here in the northern states. The SERVPRO of Taunton/Mansfield teams have seen it all, burst pipes causing kitchen sink leaks, bathroom sink leaks, and even leaking pipes in walls which are sometimes hard to find until water damage starts to appear.

It is crucial to call a professional at the first sign of frozen pipes. If you turn on your facet in the morning after a hard freeze and water does not come out, chances are you have a frozen pipe.

As we all know, when water freezes, it expands, and in the pipes of your house, this often causes burst pipes in need of quick repair. If not addressed immediately, you could end up with significant damages to your home as the water thaws and starts to leak into walls, carpets, and we have seen quite a few flooded basements due to water leaks after a freeze.

That is why we are here; SERVPRO restoration and remediation teams are trained to help when a disaster like frozen pipes occurs. Keep damages to a minimum with our 24-hour water removal and pipe leak repairs. We make it, "Like it never even happened."

Our 24-hour emergency response teams are knowledgeable and caring professionals well trained to find the frozen pipes in your home, repair the damage and remove any water that may have leaked into your home before significant damages can occur. Removing the water that leaked from thawing frozen pipes is extremely important. Water left in a home often results in water damage to your walls, subfloors, possible mold growth, and more costly repairs down the road.

It is essential to understand how water damage from frozen pipes can affect a building, whether it is commercial or residential, and to catch the problem quickly. No one wants to have rotted floors or mold damages due to a burst pipe that did not get addressed fast enough. If you own a building that is not being appropriately heated in the winter, freezing and thawing pipes can cause disastrous water damages to a structure if left unaddressed.  If you think you have frozen pipes, do not delay in giving our experts a call, it can save you down the road. 

If you own property in Taunton that is not occupied and unheated, be sure to check on it regularly for signs of frozen pipes and leaking pipes. Do not let time destroy your property, the longer the water sits the more water damages it causes.

Sometimes a burst pipe happens to occupied homes too. Frozen pipes in mobile homes are quite common because the freezing temperatures easily penetrate mobile home underpinning, where pipes may be exposed and not appropriately insulated. In a perfect world, we would all have our pipes insulated properly in northern climates. Still, sometimes builders cut corners, and homeowners do not know the dangers of not protecting their pipes in winter months until a disaster happens and your pipes burst.

Even regular stick frame homes are susceptible to hard freezes if not appropriately insulated. Sometimes no matter what you do, such as leaving your taps dripping, a hard freeze can cause substantial damages to your home and belongings.

Water cleanup and restoration can be costly, so inspect your property regularly and be sure to insulate any exposed pipes in the winter to keep pipes from freezing. This can help prevent the need to call us. We are not only here to help clean up and remove water from your home, but we are also here to help instruct you on preventing such a catastrophe.

Some tips to help prevent freezing pipes in the winter months:

Help protect your pipes from freezing during the winter:

• Turn on your faucets and permit them to drip, moving water has less of a chance of freezing.
• Keep your property heated to at least 65 degrees
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinets to allow heat to circulate around your pipes
• If the property is vacant, shut off the water and drain the system
• Exterior hoses should be removed in the winter and facets adequately insulated
• Know the location your water main shut off; this can help in case of a water leak
• Be sure all your pipes are adequately insulated or wrapped with heating tape, in both interior and exterior walls
• Keep your basement or crawlspace heated
• Insulate outside walls and unheated sections of your home

Keep a close eye on freezing conditions in winter months.

• Allow a faucet to drip marginally (lukewarm water) to lessen freezing
• The initial sign of freezing is diminished water flow from a faucet.
• Inspect your faucets for water flow and pressure at night and again in the morning.
• Check pipes near your water meter, in unheated areas, near exterior walls, and crawl spaces. These tend to be susceptible to freezing.
• Pinpoint cold air drafts coming in from a flue or chimney and caulk gaps that are near pipes.

If you have a hard freeze and water stops flowing:

• Turn off water at the main valve.
• If the crack is in a hot water pipe, turn off the water valve on the hot water heater
• Call SERVPRO 24/7 to remove water, repair broken pipes, and restore your property.

Bursting pipes can cause substantial loss incidents in your home that gets worse the longer you wait for professional restoration. Our SERVPRO of Taunton / Mansfield team has the equipment and the expertise to make it "Like it never even happened." Give us a call anytime at (508) 824-0200.