What to do if your pipes freeze and burst

CALGARY (660 NEWS) – Following a rash of frozen and burst water pipes, the City of Calgary has some advice on what to do if it should happen to you.

The City says it’s received more than 80 calls related to frozen water services since March 1, 2019. Last year, the city responded to a total of just 10 calls.

READ MORE: Pipes bursting all over the city

“We are unfortunately dealing with unusual and extreme winter circumstances. We’re doing all we can to maximize our operational capacity, ensure citizens have access to water and ultimately get services up as quickly as possible,” said Chris Huston, Manager of Drinking Water Distribution with The City of Calgary.

The increase in calls regarding frozen pipes and water main breaks has created a backlog of repairs to address which city crews are working hard to alleviate, hoping to repair services within one week.

“Once crews are on site, the time to thaw can range anywhere from two hours to upwards of 12 hours. We are not always successful on the first try,” adds Huston.

With the substantial amount of water services calls, the city is providing tips on what you can do to notice frozen pipes in your house or business.

If a pipe is frozen, very little water or none at all will come out of the faucet, which means you should check all faucets in your home.

Frost will appear on your internal pipes and a large amount of frost could appear on your main shut off valve.

If a frozen pipe has burst and you experience flooding, you should shut off the main water valve and call 311 to inform the city.

You should also contact a plumber.

More details on frozen pipes and the City of Calgary’s Frozen Pipe Prevention Program can be found here.