Frozen Pipes Water Damage Restoration - Laurel, MS

RestorationMaster

Especially for residents of Hattiesburg, MS, it can be scary to find a frozen pipe if you are aware of the potential damages they can cause. When water freezes within the pipe, it expands, applying pressure to the inside of the pipe. There is then a limited amount of time before the pipe will burst, spreading gallons of water throughout the home or building.

As soon as you notice the damage, turn off the main water supply line right away. Then call RestorationMaster for immediate frozen pipe water damage restoration if you live or work in the Hattiesburg, MS area. Using advanced products and equipment, our technicians will begin working right away to restore all of the materials to their original conditions.

Sprinkler Heads and Frozen Pipes

Some pipes will be easier to access than others, but those that are located in uninsulated areas should be of the highest concern. This includes those that are in the attic, basement, crawlspace, and on the exterior parts of the home.

Sprinkler heads can also be disastrous if the exterior water supply line is not shut off before the first freeze. It is caused when the water inside expands to burst the fixture itself or a pipe that is connected to it. Within just a few hours, hundreds of gallons of standing water can be sitting in the basement, living room, kitchen, etc.

As soon as you find a frozen or burst pipe in your home, turn off the water using the emergency shutoff valve. Then call RestorationMaster to restore the building materials. Using effective equipment and techniques, we will extract all standing water, dry out the structure, and remove excess moisture within the air. We can also dry out furnishings, including furniture and carpeting. The area will then be sanitized to prevent mold growth.

Preventing Frozen Pipes

While frozen pipes themselves don’t cause disasters, they lead to bursts that can wreak havoc on your building structure. Here are some steps to prevent frozen pipes:

Open the cabinets underneath the bathroom sink to allow warm air to circulate around the pipe.
Cover all pipes in uninsulated areas with electrical tape or insulation.
Set up a space heater in the uninsulated areas during extremely cold temperatures.
Turn off the outside water supply line and store garden hoses in the garage or basement.
Keep the temperature within the home at a minimum of 55 degrees when leaving for any extended period of time.

Thawing Frozen Pipes

When finding a frozen pipe, it’s important to proceed quickly and calmly to prevent it from bursting and flooding the property. While it will be easiest to thaw out exposed pipes, it is still possible to thaw the hidden ones as well. Start with using a hair dryer or heat lamp next to the frozen area. After thawing out this area, move towards the faucet to push the ice out into the sink.

If the frozen pipe is hidden, such as beneath the floor or behind a wall, here are some tips to follow:

Turn up the heat in the home or building.
Use an infrared lamp to pass heat through the wall or floorboards and thaw out the frozen pipe behind or underneath.
Remove part of the ceiling or drywall covering the pipe and proceed with using a hair dryer or heated lamp.

As mentioned previously, many property owners living in the southern states don’t often think about frozen pipes due to mild winters. But they do happen to unfortunate individuals, flooding out property structures and personal contents. While it can be shocking to watch this happen, don’t hesitate to call an emergency water damage restoration service.

RestorationMaster is available 24/7 at (601)651-4022 in the Hattiesburg, MS area to provide complete water damage restoration services from frozen and burst pipes.