Frozen Pipes and Winter Water Damage – What do you do?
We all know winterization is a must-do item on the honey-do list, but when a mild fall leads into a warmer than usual holiday season, it’s easy to put it off. When that first hard freeze arrives, realizing you may not have remembered to check every outdoor faucet and every basement pipe in case of a below-zero chill may be too little, too late!
When pipes freeze and burst, sometimes the damage is obvious instantly. In other cases, you may not realize a less obvious pipe has given way until it thaws enough for water to start flooding your basement or garage.
How do you deal with water damage when a pipe does freeze, and how do you prevent such an incident from happening again? “The dry guys” have some tips for water damage remediation and winterization just for you.
STOP the flooding
Water streaming from a broken pipe or seeping from a wall means find the cut-off valve and find it fast. If there isn’t one in the location of the burst pipe, you may have to go for the main cut-off. (TIP: make sure everyone in the house knows how to turn off water in an emergency, and have a designated place to keep any keys or tools that may be needed to access the cut-off valve.)
SAFETY first, always.
When water levels are high enough to reach power outlets or light switches, there can be a high risk of electrocution. Don’t enter the water, keep children and pets far from the flooded area, and call for help. (TIP: you can reach “the dry guys” 24/7 for flood and water damage related emergencies, so keep our number in a designated place and make sure family members and caretakers know who to call.)
IDENTIFY water type.
The kind of water that s leaking will almost always be clean “potable” water, but in very rare cases an overflow pipe can freeze and burst, causing contaminated water to enter the home. Sewage can contain water and air-borne pathogens which can make you and your family sick, so it’s best to leave the area. (TIP: we do water damage remediation including pumping out of clean or contaminated dirty water as well as drying and cleaning of affected flooring.)
CALL the insurance company.
“The dry guys” can rescue you from your winter waterland, quickly and effectively cleaning up the mess left by a burst water pipe and restoring your Kenosha home to normal. This isn’t a job for DIYers; we have the knowledge, experience and equipment to do the job right, so don’t hesitate to call us in and have us work with your insurance. You deserve to have a beautiful, clean, dry home to come home to every day. We can help.