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Fire & Water - Cleanup & Restoration

Prevent winter water damage in your building.

12/30/2019 (Permalink)

Frozen Pipes Frozen Pipes can result in winter water damage.

As temperatures drop during the winter months, one of the largest risks of weather related damage facing commercial properties is water damage from frozen/broken water lines.  As extreme cold and winter storms make their way across the Midwest during the coldest months of the year, water supply lines are at risk of freezing.  The freezing of copper supply lines, water lines for heating boilers and other water system components, can result in bursts or other damage to these lines.  When the water in the pipes begins to thaw, water will start leaking out of the damaged pipes.  Those leaks could range from an occasional drip out of a pin hole or hairline crack or they could be geysers from highly pressurize lines.

The amount of water damage can be significant from both, a high volume of water or a small leak, which can result in mold growth from remaining unnoticed for a duration of time.  Either way, the best way to avoid these potentially dangerous and expensive issues it to prepare in advance.

Hose spigots along the exterior perimeter of the building should be properly serviced prior to winter.

Obviously, it is important to maintain heat in the building during winter months, but in the most extreme cold, additional precautions may be necessary.  Be aware of any outlying areas, away from the core of the building, that might have water supplied to them.  Restrooms in shop areas or areas of the building that are maintained at a lower temperature than finished spaces.  Supplementary heating may be necessary during extreme cold snaps. 

In areas where pipes are most likely to freeze, some experts recommend allowing a faucet to drip will prevent freezing.  For more suggestions if you discover that your pipes have frozen, check out additional tips from Consumer Reports.

https://www.consumerreports.org/home-maintenance-repairs/how-to-keep-pipes-from-freezing/

If you experience a water damage from frozen pipes this winter, give the water damage experts at SERVPRO of Dubuque a call.  We have the knowledge and equipment to remedy the situation as quickly as possible.

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