Storm Damage Doesn’t Just Involve Rain Flooding

10/30/2019 (Permalink)

The main way to protect your pipes from freezing and bursting is to keep them insulated

Storm Damage Doesn’t Just Involve Rain Flooding

When you think of storm damage to a commercial building, you typically think of flooding. Yet a burst pipe during a winter storm can cause just as much destruction to your Billings, MT, business.
A pipe typically bursts when it freezes in cold weather. The below pipes are the most susceptible to freezing:

• Pipes in unheated areas such as cabinets and basements
  
• Pipes that run against outside walls
  
• Outdoor pipes exposed to extreme cold
  
  

Once the frozen pipe bursts, it can spray water onto the floors and your equipment. Even if you are able to turn off the water supply immediately, you will still be left with standing water that can cause mold growth or other problems. That is why you should take steps to prevent a burst pipe.

Protecting Your Pipes

The main way to protect your pipes from freezing and bursting is to keep them insulated. Try wrapping pipes with heat cable, tape or even newspaper.
During the cold weather months, you should let the water drip from the faucets throughout the day. You should also set the thermostat to at least 55° Fahrenheit at all times.

What To Do When You Have Frozen Pipes

If you notice that only a small amount of water is coming out of your faucet, you may have one or more frozen pipes. Thankfully, you may be able to correct the problem before you suffer a burst pipe.
First, you should keep the faucet in question running, as this will help to thaw the frozen section of the pipe. You can then use a hair dryer, space heater or electric heating pad to warm up the pipe. If a pipe does burst before you can thaw it, your local storm cleanup and restoration specialists can assess and repair the flood damage.
When making an emergency preparedness plan for your business, do not just think about rain flooding. In order to avoid major flood cleanup, you need to protect your pipes from cold temperatures.