LUBBOCK, Texas – Lubbock has some of the lowest temperatures in years, and now local plumbers are warning that frozen pipes may be inevitable for some in the community.
Will Arausa, the owner of Flatland Plumbing, has worked on several houses with burst pipes.
“It was devastation,” he said. “Just falling ceilings and a lot of water loss.”
In such situations, many companies in the area are trying to prepare people for it, and while you may not be able to completely prevent the situation from occurring, preventative measures can be taken.
“We ask our customers to keep their closet doors open, keep their faucets dripping and leave the house at a constant temperature,” said Arausa.
Shawn Thomas, Service Manager for Mr. Rooter at Lubbock Plumbing, added that there are ways to defrost them even if your pipes are frozen over.
“The best thing you can do in this case is fill a bathtub with water. In that case, you need to use the facilities in the house,” said Thomas. “If you think it’s frozen, just go lightly over it with the blow dryer because you can melt the pipe.”
However, when it comes to melting the pipe with a hair dryer, space heater, or even heating tape, it is important to safely prepare the area.
“Make sure there are no flammable materials nearby and keep the heater away from sources that can catch fire,” Arausa said. “It can get dangerous pretty quickly.”
Both plumbing companies encourage the community to address any issues, especially this time when Lubbock is at its coldest.
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