MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Arctic-like temperatures put a strain on both houses and people who have to work outside.
Extra clothing for workers and extra insulation for homes are some of the ways to reduce potential problems.
CONTINUE READING: How you can help fight anti-Asian hatred
“If you’re in a bucket, it can really whip through you,” said Lee Nordby of Xcel Energy.
No matter what the thermometer says, Xcel employees must be ready. Sometimes that means working in a bucket in a wind chill below 25. Extra shifts and frequent breaks are required to keep warm.
“When we have certain jobs, we will hire more people so they can turn through the trucks too. This will keep everyone safe, warm and still be able to get their work done, ”said Nordby.
Plumbers spend more time in the house, but they are no less busy. You get non-stop calls for frozen or burst pipes.
“When the temperatures get this low it gets crazy,” said Dustin Heins.
CONTINUE READING: The first of its kind for mental health opens next week at M Health Southdale
Heins is at Hero Plumbing, Heating and Cooling. During such a cold snap, he responds to hundreds of calls for broken pipes. A common cause is poor insulation, which can let cold air in and freeze pipes in certain places. But Heins said there are ways to keep your pipes in one piece.
“Turn up your heat a bit. Have a faucet drip into every bathroom, not just one. Water has to move through the entire system, ”said Heins.
For Heins, the record cold means business. But he wouldn’t mind if the temperatures at least got back to average.
“It’s always a relief when it warms up and brings the cold out of here,” said Heins.
Another tip for the next year: get an oven set-up before winter.
MORE NEWS: MPD helps reunite a stolen deaf dog with the owner
A faulty oven can also lead to frozen pipes.
Comments are closed.