Earlier this month, we got a frantic call from our customer in Winchester, MA after coming home to a burst pipe and completely damp, newly-finished basement flooring. He went online, found that we had the best reviews on Yelp and gave us a call. After listening to his description of what happened, we assured him that our technician goes to this type of call regularly and has the experience and tools for it. The technician arrived an hour later, found where the issue started, discussed what happened with the customer and repaired the pipe within the same hour. He followed up with an email that said “Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! I’ve read about other people that had burst pipes that turned into a nightmare, but I never thought it would happen to me. I was really happy that the service tech even helped me set up fans and a dehumidifier to minimize the water damage. You all are the best!” 
While we hate to hear about anyone having damage in their home for any reason, we are happy that we were able to help our customer in Winchester repair the frozen, ruptured pipe in their home. If you are worried that your pipes are uninsulated, getting old, or another cold snap might put them at risk, there are steps you can take to help protect your home before a pipe bursts and repair a pipe in the unfortunate case that it does burst.
To Prevent a Pipe from Bursting: Keep Your Home Warm
Once it gets cold: turn your heat up! While the energy costs may be higher, you will be able to protect your home plumbing easier with a warmer indoor temperature. Open cabinet doors in your kitchen and bathrooms to let warm air circulate around your home plumbing.
Consider Insulating Your Pipes:
Adding pipe insulation can not only help you minimize the opportunity for your pipes to freeze during the harshest winter weather, but it can also help you save money on utility bills year-round. When you add pipe insulation to your home plumbing, you will help keep the water in the pipes from freezing, which can lead to a burst pipe if the ice in your pipes expands. Besides this benefit, pipe insulation can also help keep hot water in your home plumbing hot, minimizing heat loss and helping keep your overall energy costs lower.
Know Where Your Water Shut Off Valve is Located
If a frozen pipe does burst, knowing the location of your main water shutoff valve can help minimize damage from water. If you are not aware where your main water shutoff valve is, take the time to learn the location so that you can shut off the water to your home quickly in an emergency.
If A Pipe Does Burst: Call 128 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Electric for Help
When emergencies happen: call the plumbing professionals at 128 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Electric at 781-670-3261 for emergency plumbing service. As we did for our customer in Winchester, MA, our plumbing experts can come to your home in emergency situations to minimize the damage from frozen or burst pipes.
While the calendar says that spring is around the corner, Old Man Winter can still play havoc on your plumbing and heating system. If you need assistance with an emergency plumbing situation related to frozen or burst pipes, call the plumbing experts at 128 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Electric at 781-670-3261 for emergency and preventative plumbing service in all Greater Boston towns!
