Thaw exposes hidden pipe damage across North Texas
As temperatures finally climb above freezing, plumbers across North Texas are responding to a surge of calls from homeowners dealing with frozen pipes.
For many, thawing pipes have revealed hidden problems. In Keller, Mandy Leonard woke up to an unwelcome surprise.
"Walked in our living room, felt some water, you know underneath our feet in places it should not be," she said.
A busted vacuum breaker in her home led to flooding, a problem plumbers say can happen even when homeowners take precautions.
Trey Padilla, owner of TALT Plumbing, said even experienced homeowners and plumbers aren't immune.
"At my house, I froze up one of my outside faucets, but I had it trickle, it's not like we're doing the right or wrong thing, it just happens," he said.
Southwest of Fort Worth, Mike Rodriguez said he knew a pipe had burst when he heard a sound he had never heard before.
"I was in the other room, I heard 'sploosh,' I said oh no, and sure enough...I did what they said...insulation...rags and stuff...but it wasn't enough. Just too cold," Rodriguez said.
Experts urge vigilance
Experts say a frozen pipe doesn't always mean it will break once it thaws, but homeowners should stay alert.
"I would say walk the perimeter of your house, look for water dripping down the side," Padilla said.
Plumbers also recommend keeping faucets running during cold snaps and being ready to shut off water if a problem develops. They say your ears can be one of the best tools.
"If you hear water moving when it shouldn't be, that's a red flag," Padilla said.
Long waits for help
As the thaw continues, homeowners are reminded to be patient. Calls are coming in constantly, and some may have to wait days before a plumber can reach them.
"I actually called one company first and they basically waitlisted me until the end of Feb, so that's not going to work," Leonard said.
They also say that if it takes too long to get a plumber to your house, make sure you know where and how to turn your water off.
