DRAPER, Utah (ABC 4 News) – Plumbers are busy fielding calls and fixing problems caused by the cold weather.
Whipple Plumbing and Down System Plumbing together report working on 18 different homes because of cold weather pipe problems in the last few weeks.
ABC 4 is tagging along with a few plumbers to get a better idea of what they’re up against. Royal Scott who works for Whipple joked with one customer, “I hurried right over here with the red siren on top of my truck and people diving out of my way.”
He just stepped inside Kim Rees’s home. She’s already had her fair share of plumbing problems this winter. Just two weeks ago, one of her pipes burst and the water was flowing. “Like (she makes a whosh sound) like that. It was Niagara,” she said.
Scott is in her home to check a few different problems. ”I think I finally found it right there,” Rees said pointing to a valve underneath her kitchen sink.
We soon learn Kim’s leak is not caused by the cold weather. It’s caused by a corroded valve.
Kim dodged a big problem. Cracked pipes can be expensive to fix. Now, all she has to replace is a simple valve, but the cold weather is boosting Scott’s work load.
“Yes we’re getting more concerns and more people that have frozen water lines,” he said.
Tagging along with another plumber we learn the cold weather is causing a headache for others.
“Yeah I actually had a call earlier about a gal that had no water in her house,” said Luke Johansen who owns Down System Plumbing.
He was able to fix the problem by installing insulation and turning the heat up. The pipes thawed and were saved. Johansen says it was his tenth frozen pipe call this winter.
