When the weather is nicer, Shawn Winner plays a little game.
As he’s driving through residential areas, he takes note of houses that may have cracks in their foundations.
“Those are the ones we hear from when it gets cold,” Winner explained.
Foundation gaps tend to mean frozen water lines, particularly when the weather gets as bitterly cold as it did Tuesday and Wednesday, with temperatures plunging below zero.
Winner, a licensed plumber at Paul Sinclair Plumbing of Iola, has been plenty busy this week helping thaw frozen water lines under a number of homes in and around Iola.
By mid-Afternoon Thursday, Winner and Bob Sinclair had been called to 10 homes to thaw out frozen water lines, “and counting,” he noted. “By the time we get done with one, it seems somebody else is calling.”
Plumbers have a number of tools at their disposal to thaw the frozen lines, depending on their type — metal or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) — and where those lines are located.
Metal water lines can be thawed using an electrical device similar to a welder, that produces a small-scale electrical current.
“It’s not enough to shock you, but it is enough to send the current through the ice to make it melt,” Winner said.
If the ice is too thick, other devices such as propane torches or space heaters aimed at pipes under the house are deployed.
With both, extra care is necessary to ensure fire safety, Sinclair said.
“The problem with some people is they’ll turn their space heater on, then go inside and leave it alone,” he said, which could cause overheating of wood or other flammable materials.
Homeowners also can use hair dryers or wrap towels soaked in hot water around the frozen pipes.
“The key, once you see your water lines are frozen, is to have it taken care of as quickly as possible,” Winner said. “If not, the ice will only grow harder and expand.”
He also noted that ice expands as it freezes, creating another danger: cracked or broken pipes.
“And that’s an entirely other mess,” he said.
“The worst thing you can do is wait.”
IDEALLY, residents will take precautions against frozen water lines before cold weather strikes.
Plugging gaps in foundations is a must-do.
“What people don’t realize is that wind will cause more water lines to freeze than just cold temperatures,” Bob Sinclair said. “It doesn’t have to take much of an opening for cold air to seep in and freeze the water lines.”
In situations such as this week, Winner suggests residents pack snow around any cracks in their homes’ foundations until a more permanent fix is possible — repairing the foundation. “Snow actually makes pretty good insulation,” he said.
For larger gaps, temporary fixes include cardboard or plastic sheeting, weighted against the wind’s removal.
Sinclair noted one house in Iola he visited Wednesday had several foundation cracks so prevalent that they could not keep the water lines thawed.
“By the time we’d finish with one spot, another would freeze,” he said. “And 30 minutes later, everything would be frozen again. We finally called the landlord and told him to fix the foundation, then give us a call.”
Winner also pointed out another culprit of frozen water lines: outside water spigots connected to hoses.
“The water in the hose will freeze, and the ice just radiates up the line,” Winner said. “A lot of people don’t realize they need to disconnect their hoses from any outside hydrants. That causes more frozen water lines than anything.”
If a spigot has a turn off valve, use that as well, cutting water to the outside until weather is warmer.
THERE ARE also a few things residents can do within a home to help keep the ice at bay, Sinclair said.
If a room with plumbing is along an outside wall or is colder than the rest of the house, be sure to leave the door open to allow extra heat to enter the room.
A small table lamp fitted with a 100 watt incandescent bulb should be left on at night in the space, as close to the pipes as possible, all the while being cautious to keep any flammable objects away.
And to prevent drains from freezing, dissolve 1/8 cup of table or rock salt in about 1/2 cup of hot water and pour that down the drain, Sinclair said. Doing so in the evening when temperatures are near zero will help stave off ice formation, he noted. A couple doses of salt over a week’s time should be sufficient, he added.
And while cold weather means more business, Winner said he would just as soon not have to respond to any frozen water line calls.
“We have plenty to keep us busy,” he said with a laugh. “And we could be working where it’s a lot warmer.”
