Burst Pipes

11/30/2016 (Permalink)

Burst pipes can cause lots of water damage.

The weather is getting colder, frozen and burst pipes become a serious concern for a homeowner.  Burst pipes cause not only the headache of having to repair the pipe, but also water damage remediation and the risk for mold as well. Water expands as it freezes and this expansion puts tremendous pressure on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes. Expanding water can cause pipes to break. Pipes that freeze most frequently are those that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, water sprinkler lines, and water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets. Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation are also subject to freezing.

Ice alone forming in a pipe is not what causes it to break. It’s the continual freezing and expansion that causes water pressure to increase downstream, between the ice blockage and the closed faucet at the end. It’s this increase in water pressure that leads to pipe failure and usually the pipe will burst where little or no ice has formed.

If you should find yourself faced with a pipe break situation, contact your insurance company then call us. We have 24 hour emergency services available and will do our very best to bring your home back to its pre-loss condition as soon as possible.

Call SERVPRO of Medford at (631) 732-4952