Many plumbing companies have been overwhelmed with calls and are fully booked for the first week of March, meaning people may be without water for another week.
HOUSTON – For many in the Houston area, the references to boiling water have been removed.
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However, many people are still without water as they wait for plumbers to fix burst pipes.
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Sharon Fleming, who lives in West Houston, says getting someone to fix a burst pipe outside of her home was as difficult as the weather event that caused it.
“We can’t get in touch with a plumber. It was impossible to get in touch with a plumber, ”said Fleming.
Village Plumbing and Air’s Michael Villasana says they have received 20,000 calls about burst pipes in the past few days. He says most plumbing companies are booked by the first week of March.
As frustrating as it is, he says the only option at this point is to get on a plumber’s waiting list.
Villasana also gave tips on what to do in the meantime.
“Try to shut off the water to the house if you can. Contact your insurance company immediately. See if you can find an adjuster out there. At the moment it’s just a waiting game, ”he said.
If the leak is outside your home, you can keep your water on long enough to fill a bucket. He also says it’s important to lean on neighbors who have water until the crisis is over.
Unfortunate enough to be able to reach a plumber by phone, Fleming resorted to tagging a plumber on their street. She hopes he will return to help her on Wednesday, but it will be a tough few days.
“We used our pool water again. Luckily we had a mug of iced tea, so we use it to wash dishes, ”said Fleming.
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