THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, February 8, 1995 TAG: 9502080546
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TONYA WOODS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
If a leaky water pipe in your house mysteriously stops leaking, don't count your blessings - it could mean the pipe is frozen.
The Norfolk Department of Utilities has received 32 calls for broken pipes and 12 calls for leaky pipes since the cold snap began Sunday, said spokeswoman Peg Nelson.
``Our customer service representatives know when the weather is this cold, they can expect a lot of calls,'' Nelson said. ``But we haven't been getting any more calls than we usually get during this kind of weather.''
C.W. Walck, customer service administrator for the Department of Utilities in Virginia Beach, said more than 30 people called about frozen pipes.
City workers will be sent out to help, but they'll only do what residents could do themselves - turn off the water from the main valve. Utility workers will only repair pipes that run from the outside water meter to the house.
In addition to leaks that stop leaking, Nelson said, there's a more obvious warning sign of frozen pipes: no water comes out when you turn on the faucet.
``In winter, the water pipes freeze and break when they're thawing; then you have to get new pipes,'' she said. ``You have to keep watching the weather, anticipate freezing temperatures and winterize your house.''
Wrapping water pipes under the house with insulation tape and foam is a good way to keep them from freezing.
Bill Kline, assistant manager of an Ace Hardware store in Norfolk, said it's fairly quick and easy to insulate..
``With the basement in my house, I can do it in no time,'' he said. ``But for people who have the pipes under their house it'll take a little longer because they'll have to crawl under the house to wrap the pipes.''
Here are some other tips:
Leave cabinet doors open so heat can reach the pipes.
Cover or close open air vents.
Let water drip from your faucets.
Close all windows near the pipes.
Nelson warns against trying to thaw pipes with an open flame. You could break the pipes or cause a fire.
Instead, suggests Walck, try a hair dryer, a heat lamp or even the heat from a light bulb. by CNB