What Business Owners Should Know About Frozen Pipes | SERVPRO® of Kingston/New Paltz

12/15/2021 (Permalink)

Prepare your business or commercial property as best you can before frozen pipes cause a disaster!

Understanding the complexities and dangers of frozen pipes is a must for anyone who lives in a
climate where there are cold winters, but that is especially true for business owners in these areas of Ulster County. Frozen pipes are a serious threat to commercial property, and while they can often be remedied, it is much easier and cost effective to help prevent them from occurring in the first place.

If you are unsure how frozen pipes happen, how they cause damage and how they can be treated, keep reading! We have compiled together everything business owners should know about frozen pipes so you can keep your commercial property safe.

### Why Frozen Pipes Occur

While it is a common misconception that frozen pipes are only an issue when the weather turns
bitterly cold, the truth is, they can happen any time the temperature falls under 32 degrees
Fahrenheit. If pipes are not insulated well enough and holding still water, they can quickly freeze
and become blocked.

### How Frozen Pipes Cause Damage

While a pipe freezing does not cause damage itself, it can lead to the pipe bursting, which can
cause serious issues. When there is a blockage in the pipe (in this case, ice), the water behind
the blockage has nowhere to go.

Eventually, this can overwhelm the material the pipe is made of and lead to a burst, which means
there will be an outpouring of water from the weakened area.

### What to Do if You Find a Frozen Pipe

If there is a frozen pipe in your commercial business, whether it be residential or any type,  you may be able to remedy the situation. Making the area around the pipe warmer can thaw the ice inside, preventing a burst from occurring.

### How to Prevent a Frozen Pipe

Fortunately, there are ways to prevent pipes from freezing in the first place. Insulating pipes
during the winter, keeping the heat on in your building even when your business is not operational and turning on faucets to a trickle during any extreme cold spells can all significantly reduce the likelihood that a pipe will burst in your business.

*If you experience water damage due to a burst pipe or any other cause in your commercial space, SERVPRO of Kingston/New Paltz can help! We're available 24/7 for any property damage emergency with local water damage restoration pros on standby!