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Frozen pipes keeping Montana plumbers busy

Posted at 9:34 AM, Feb 19, 2019
and last updated 2019-02-19 16:17:15-05

HELENA – Lingering winter weather is bringing many residents the unexpected inconvenience of frozen pipes.

The “danger zone,” for pipes to freeze is between 20º and 0º.

Temperatures can quickly shift leaving frozen water in pipelines that will then suddenly warm up, resulting in potential flooding.

There are ways to take precaution, closing all doors and windows and keeping a sink low-running, leaving the faucet open to keep water flowing.

“Being just a little bit preemptive on looking at your house and making sure that things are closed up can prevent a lot of problems,” Big Sky Heating and Plumbing Service manager Dour Dronen said.

Water Faucet
Temperatures can quickly shift leaving frozen water in pipelines that will then suddenly warm up, resulting in potential flooding. (MTN News photo)

A key to keeping your pipes flowing is being conscientiousness of rapid weather changes.

“Eighty percent of our freeze-ups are kind of common sense situations. If people take the time to look around and know that the cold weather is coming in and do some checking, what’s around the house and what’s going on, they can prevent a lot of their freeze-ups,” Dronen explained.”

The American Red Cross also gives informative information about how to prevent your pipes from freezing: Remove, drain and store any hoses used outdoors, indoors. Open kitchen and bathroom cabinets to let the heat form around inner plumbing and add insulation to basements, floorboards and any open crawl spaces.

Click here for more information about how to keep your pipes from freezing.

-Christine Sullivan reporting for MTN News