SEATTLE- Plumbing companies are seeing an increase in calls about burst pipes due to the freezing temperatures.
A burst pipe can result in thousands of dollars in damages if the water supply is not shut off immediately.
The Seattle Fire Department (SFD) said it has responded to at least 120 calls related to burst pipes since Friday.
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“We didn’t realize the pipes had burst on the second through third floors until they rained down on him on the first floor,” said Toni Harrell, a woman who dealt with frozen pipes.
Harrell told KOMO News that her father’s home suffered extensive damage when those pipes burst.
“It was 15 degrees outside, there is no water. They are pushed out, there are no services, no one is available. It’s just a really difficult situation and a lot of damage,” Harrell said.
The phones at Beacon Plumbing were non-stop with multiple customers calling about their frozen pipes.
“It’s chaos right now,” said Bill Cahill, owner of Beacon Plumbing.
Cahill said these pipe bursts often happen because many people don’t know what to do.
“As temperatures drop, the pipe will eventually freeze and then rupture, and at that point you need to know where to shut off the water,” Cahill said.
If you’re dealing with frozen pipes, experts recommend closing the main water valve, which will shut off all water in your home. But they add that there are some other things people can do.
“Keeping the kitchen sink doors open under the sink cabinets and providing heat to the garage and providing heat to the attic, those are simple things,” Cahill said.
Experts said another crucial factor is knowing where the main water shutoff valve is in the event of an emergency.
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