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Winter weather can wreak havoc on plumbing, could be costly

Posted: Jan 12, 2013 6:55 PM by Ben Trotter
Updated: Jan 12, 2013 7:43 PM

The cold front hitting our area could also be taking a hit on you pocketbook. With frigid temperatures, plumbing can freeze, causing a host of problems. Plumber Bob Beane, owner of Bob's Plumbing, knows all about what a burst pipe can do.

"When you've got a main water line that's broke and it thaws out" says Beane, "that's pretty much like taking a hose and putting it in your house and turning on the water."

Bob says with the rash of cold weather hitting the Bozeman area, he's had his hands full, saying he gets "6 or 7 calls all within a half an hour...people are just kind of unprepared and when the first cold snap comes, it just kind of plays havoc on everything".

Older houses, according to Bob, can be especially at risk, due to their piping being made of copper, which under cold temperatures can crack. The real damage though, comes when they thaw, and the water begins to gush out.

Bob recommends that if you believe one of your pipes may have cracked, to find your water shutoff valve immediately, in order to avoid further damage, and to have lines in outside walls insulated or heat taped, to avoid damage in the future.