TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - Plumbers in the Toledo area said they have been working non-stop to help customers repair home heating systems and water pipes.
Area plumbers said it has been a busy past couple of weeks as they respond quickly to reports of frozen pipes in homes. They said even with the warmer temperatures, they do not expect the calls to taper off any time soon.
"We've been out, midnight, two, three, four in the morning," said Eric Wagner, owner of Pipe Doctor Plumbing and Heating.
Wagner said his company has been so busy that employees take a list of names and numbers when calls come in, then crews get to somebody when available.
People who work at Wojo's Heating and Air Conditioning have also been working around the clock.
"Our guys are working a lot of hours trying to make sure everybody's taken care of and they get their heat restored," said Chuck Westenbarger, Operations Manager at Wojo's.
The company said a lot of the problems people have been facing are due to lack of proper maintenance.
"We find things that are dirty that are causing a breakdown, generally that's the biggest problems we've been having," Westenbarger said.
Employees at Wojo's said the cold weather has a lot to do with the reasons for lack of maintenance. When it is cold, it is easier to damage water pipes and heating systems.
Frozen pipes can cause a lot of damage if not addressed right away. Crews have to tear down everything that gets wet to rid of all the moisture. When pipes freeze, the water eventually thaws.
"Right now, as it's warming, that's when if you didn't have water, you might see water, so be aware and know where to shut your water off," said Wagner.
"Pipes that were frozen have now thawed out and are broken, water's leaking and we're having to go repair that," states Westenbarger.
How can you prevent your pipes from freezing? Here are some tips:
- Make sure you properly check your furnace before the winter season.
- Get a smart thermostat that notifies you if it drops below a certain temperature.
- Open cabinets to allow warmer air to circulate.
- If you have a crawlspace, you can block off the vents and keep a draft from out of the crawlspace to eliminate cold air from getting in.
- If you have pipes that are prone to freezing, you can insulate and heat trace those.
- And most importantly, make sure you know where to shut off the main water supply to your home.
