ST. LOUIS – The cold is causing a growing problem for homeowners across our area. Water pipes are freezing, and in some cases, bursting. It's not just a mess but it can also be expensive.
Don Byington is a plumber with Roto-Rooter. When it's this cold, he goes to eight-to-10 houses per day, fixing up busted pipes.
A home on Minnesota Avenue in Tower Grove East was the sixth stop Tuesday. The people who live there say water was all over the kitchen floor. A bulge in one of the pipes indicates where it expanded and split because of the cold.
To help prevent your pipes from freezing and leaking, Byington said to leave water running. However, it doesn't need to be full force.
"You should let the water trickle a little bit, hot and cold, because as long as it's moving, it's less likely to freeze up," he said.
Byington said to do that especially when your water line is on an outside wall of your house. For instance, the kitchen sink in the Tower Grove East home is on an outside wall. There isn't another room on the other side of the wall.
Byington said that's a simple way to prevent frozen pipes. He says you can also insulate your lines. However, that can require major maintenance.
