While temperatures do not often fall below freezing in the Laurel, MS area, many homes are susceptible to frozen pipes. When this occurs, the water within them freezes and expands, applying pressure to the inside of the pipe. Eventually, the pipe will develop a fissure, or burst, spraying water in all directions and flooding the home. When this occurs, don’t hesitate to turn off the main water supply line and call for emergency services.
RestorationMaster provides emergency water damage restoration services from frozen and burst pipes in the Laurel, MS area. While it is not common, our technicians are experienced and trained to respond immediately to water damage emergencies. They will arrive within the first 2 hours of your call to extract the water, dry out the affected areas, and restore all materials to their original condition.
Risks of Frozen Pipes
While frozen pipes don’t cause the disaster, there is a limited amount of time before they will burst and cause a disaster within the home or building. They usually occur to water pipes that are exposed to the cold, such as those connected to hoses, in basements, crawlspaces, and attics. But it is often they result in floods because they are hidden.
If you do happen to find a frozen pipe, it’s crucial to thaw it out before it develops a fissure and bursts. To do this, turn on all of the faucets within the home or building and notice if the water flows smoothly or not. If not, there’s a problem.
What to Do When Finding a Frozen Pipe
The most important step to take after noticing it is to locate which parts are frozen. Then it may be necessary to take one or more of the following steps:
- Place a space heater near the frozen pipe.
- Use a hair dryer on the affected area.
- Turn on a heat lamp, one that is either infrared or incandescent. This will also help if the pipe is behind a wall.
For pipes that are not exposed, such as those behind walls and under floors:
- Turn up the heat in the house
- Use an infrared lamp against the wall and it will safely pass through the material to reach the frozen pipe.
- Remove the building material blocking the frozen pipe. It may sound extreme but would have to be done anyway if the pipe bursts.
Water Damage Cleanup from Frozen Pipes
While we hope that you never have to deal with a disaster from a frozen pipe, accidents happen. When they do, RestorationMaster is available 24/7 to respond to these emergencies. Due to the fact that the water will spread to other areas of the home, time is of the essence when returning the property to its original condition.
As soon as our technicians arrive, they will first extract any standing water, followed by drying out the affected materials, including the floors, walls, and carpeting, if necessary. They can also replace parts of the building structure that have become ruined. If any mold had developed as a result of the excess moisture, our technicians are also trained to use commercial products to remove all harmful spores. Finally after restoring all building materials and personal contents to their original conditions, we will work with your insurance company through the claims process, if you chose to file one.
RestorationMaster is available 24/7 at (601)651-4022 in the Laurel, MS area to provide emergency water damage restoration and flood cleanup services from frozen and burst pipes.