Story Highlights

• Freezing temperatures causing problems for locals
• Find out tips to prevent your pipes from bursting

If you live in Athens Clarke County you may be going home to some cold pipes. To protect your wallet you may want to take a couple of safety steps to avoid your pipes bursting. Reporter Devyn Mullis investigated and figured out some tips that could keep this cold weather from making you call a plumber.

Dripping water may be a familiar sound to local. But most locals did not see damage this bad, but even the smallest crack can create the biggest pain. We spoke to Will Ortiz who says, “I live in the Woodlands and essentially with this past cold it got so cold that our pipes exploded and the drywall exploded, and there was drywall all over the living room.”

Temperatures dipped down into the single digits last night. The freezing temperatures have cause pipes to burst in homes, apartments, and public facilities. Those who were not prepared are feeling the consequences today. This afternoon cracked water pipes set off the fire alarm in Grady College on the University of Georgia’s campus. The pipe burst due to the amount of pressure from the frozen water in the pipes.

A maintenance crew was called to repair the problem and one worker says that “Last night it froze and it could have been frozen for the last couple days because this area stays shady all the time.”

T and S plumbing company says they received seventy phone calls compared to their normal call volume of six, yesterday due to the cold weather, Lee, the owner, quoted the cost of this type of repair at approximately two hundred dollars. He also gave a few tips for homeowners to prevent this from happening to them.

1) Cut off the main service line
2) Make sure hot and cold water continues to drip from faucets
3) Make sure pipes are covered and insulated

It is very important to follow these according to Lee so you can avoid the frustration many local are facing today.

The important thing is to stay warm and stay safe in these cold temperatures.

Devyn Mullis reporting.