How to fix a busted, frozen, broken, copper water pipe. Part 1

How to fix a frozen, busted copper water pipe. www.poormansfix.com

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Coming to your NY apartment after a long holiday to be greeted by a flooded kitchen, soaked appliances, and waterlogged computers is no fun. Instead of unpacking your suitcases, you call over your local New York plumber for express emergency repair. Freezing pipes is a common plumbing problem during winter. As temperature drops, water running through exposed lines may freeze and take up more space inside pipe. When pipe is allowed to freeze completely, ice will break through the pipe. Split or burst pipes will let melted water escape and flood your home. Save yourself from expensive water related damages by avoiding frozen pipes all together.

Plumbers in NY will always recommend pipe insulation as your first line of defense against freezing pipes. Foam rubber sleeves or fiberglass are great pipe insulators that can keep exposed pipes warm during the cold months of the year. Wrapped around pipes, electrical powered heating stripes will heat the section of the line vulnerable to freezing. Both insulation and heating stripes will minimize chances of frozen pipes.

Without applying insulation to vulnerable pipes, we should not be too surprised when encountering freezing pipes. Ice inside freezing sections along pipeline will obstruct water flow and cause reductions in water pressure. Dropping water pressure is your warning sign indicating that parts of the pipe are frozen. Pick up on this red flag and repair early the pipe to avoid expensive water related damage to your home.

NYC plumbing companies instruct consumers to shut off water supply once detecting freezing pipes. Next, turn on a couple of faucets to let out trapped steam and melting water. Freezing pipes require gentle thawing to melt ice and relieve pipe from extra weight. Applying direct heat on the frozen section may cause more damage than good. Intense and direct heat may turn trapped ice into boiling water that in turn will also split open the pipe due to steam pressure. As a thumb rule, do not let pipes heat up to the extent that they become too hot to touch. Gentle thawing of freezing pipes can be conducted using one of the following methods:

1. “Blow dry” the frozen section of the pipe with a hairdryer2. Direct a space heater towards the frozen section.3. Dip rags in hot water and wrap around the frozen section. 4. Cover frozen section with electrical powered heating stripes.

Pay attention to your plumbing pipes. Catching early freezing pipes can save you time and money otherwise invested in repairing burst pipes and draining water from your home. NYC plumbers recommend the simple way out – just insulate exposed pipes and lines running along external walls, and spare the time consuming hassle of freezing pipes.

Samantha Richardson

New York Plumber

http://www.new-york-plumber.com.

http://www.new-york-plumber.com/service/pipe-fitting.

(888) 317 – 4264
509 E 78th St. 10075 New York

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