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An icicle clings to a road sign in front of the Georgia Dome after an ice storm in the Atlanta area on January 29, 2000. The St. Louis Rams will face the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV on January 30, 2000. (Electronic image) AFP PHOTO/Tony Lar (Getty Images)
Atlanta – With the entire country plagued by record low temperatures, high winds and a winter wonderland, many residents of the Atlanta subway have found their frozen water pipes at risk of bursting.
What can you do if this bout of bad luck happens to you? Here are some tips and tricks to keep you happy, warm and dry during the holiday season.
How can I tell if my water pipes are frozen?
Woke up without water? Check your kitchen, bathroom sink, or bathtub faucet with a slight twist. You can also flush the toilet. If there is no stream of water at all, or if it slowly drips all over your house or apartment, you most likely have frozen pipes.
Does your place stink? Other experts say frozen pipes can cause bad odors. If the drain pipes are clogged with garbage that has not flowed out, the room may be filled with bad odors.
How to protect your car and home before the big freeze
With Georgia gearing up for the cold, here’s some advice on how to prepare your car and home for a cold snap.
What should I do if my pipe bursts?
Please do not call 911 for issues that do not affect public areas. County officials, such as DeKalb and Douglas counties, have reported receiving more calls than usual because of calls from residents about pipe bursts. A DeKalb County spokesperson urged residents to call their property manager or a private plumber to address these situations.
“We understand the stress associated with sudden bursts in water pipes, but DeKalb public safety officials are unable to shut off water pipes that are not on public roads,” said Alesia Guest, director of DeKalb County E-911 Communications. says.
- Find your main water source and turn it off immediately.
- After turning off the main water tap, turn on the faucet to drain the water remaining in the drain pipe.
- Use towels to rinse minimally submersible, cups, bowls, or buckets to remove excess water that collects in the room. We want to avoid flood damage as much as possible.
- Call your landlord now. It is very important to make the landlord or management company aware of the problem. They are responsible for keeping your apartment or condo alive and can’t do it without knowing there is a problem. You may even have plans to get rid of a lot of unnecessary stress.
- Do your best to identify the cause of the burst. Knowing which pipe the water is coming from can help plumbers and emergency maintenance teams identify and fix problems faster. Pro tip: Leave these areas (cabinets and closets) open to allow warm air to circulate and defrost.
- Inform your neighbors of bursts and floods as soon as possible. Your neighbors may be affected next and can be brought to your attention.
- Contact a water damage restoration company or plumber.
- Keep valuables, financial, legal, or medical documents off the ground. You can put them on a higher shelf or temporarily store them with a trusted individual.
- Document the damage. Take photos or videos of anything that can show how your home or belongings have been affected. This proof may later be required for insurance etc.
- Please call your insurance company. Whether you’re a renter with renters insurance or a homeowner with homeowners insurance, this is the time to find out if you can cover the damage.
If a pipe bursts, who is responsible? Tenant or Landlord/Owner or City?
Tenants and homeowners may be wondering if they could be held responsible for these types of incidents. Unfortunately, the answer is not always clear.
The first thing you can do is determine if the rupture and resulting damage was caused by your own negligence.
If you are a lessor, the next thing you can do is verify your lease. There is usually a clear wording of the landlord’s responsibilities.
How can I avoid freezing and bursting pipes in the future?
When the weather begins to drop below freezing or temperatures, it’s time to take some precautions to avoid future disasters.
- Leave the heating on when you’re not home
- Open cabinets and room doors to allow heat to flow freely through your home
- Keep the water running slowly from the faucet throughout the night. The extra water bill for the month can be much cheaper or even worse than the bill to fix the pipe.
- Ask your plumber about insulation around your pipes to keep them warm in freezing weather.
Related: Prepare your home and car for freezing temperatures
Warming up the car in cold weather can damage the engine.what to do instead
Power system stress due to dangerously cold temperatures.Here’s how to save energy
Stay up to date with the local weather with the FOX 5 Storm Team.
