NEWS PHOTO EMMA BENNETT
Crews make repairs to a frozen water line on Aberdeen Street S.E. on Wednesday, March 6, 2019.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
The city says the number of frozen water pipes this year is almost four times higher than normal.
So far this year there have been 108 locations with frozen pipes while the average over the past five years has been 32, says Brian Graham, the city’s field operations manager for environmental utilities.
“I’ve been working for the city for 18 years and this is the highest we have ever had,” said Graham, noting staff have been working extended hours to keep up with calls thanks to relentless frigid temperatures without Chinooks to bring relief.
Sometimes the issue is at the pipe’s entry point into the house while others are in the pipes outside – leading to the house.
Graham says indoor plumbing may have less insulation making it vulnerable, or there may be less heat in the house.
If someone goes away and does not have any water running in the house, or they have turned the heat down low, and in some cases off completely, that can trigger the problem, said Graham.
Leave your heat on, have someone check your house and run the tap for a few minutes every day if you are away, Graham advises. Make sure there are no broken windows in your basement and that your basement has got heat where the water service line comes into the house.
Snowbirds may have gone away and thought it would be fine with no heat in the house, only to return and discover pipes frozen, said Graham.
“My recommendation is at least 13 C in the basement area where the water comes into the house,” said Graham.
The depth of the pipes outside is generally nine feet, the current standard, said Graham. There are no records of the depth of pipes in older areas of the city and that is where many of the issues are this year.
“They may not have been put at the depth they were supposed to be and also there may not be as much insulation in the building and in the basement as a new home would have,” said Graham.
If you turn your faucet on and no water comes out there is likely an ice jam somewhere in the line.
“We respond to any calls where there is no water,” said Graham.
If the line outside is the issue, it is much more “expensive and time consuming,” said Graham. It means locating the line, excavating and then applying steam heat to dissolve the ice. Once the obstruction is dissolved and the area filled in, the homeowner is asked to keep a faucet running.
If it is frozen water service the city will cover the cost for the first occurrence, said Graham. If the resident is advised to keep the water running and does not do so, the city will consider charging the resident for the cost.
On Wednesday morning there were already six calls scheduled for the day, said Graham. Even as warmer temperatures approach this can drive the frost deeper into the ground. At least two weeks of warmer weather is needed, said Graham.
