Cold weather causes burst pipes

February 15, 2016 6:24 pm

By Rebecca Turco

rturco@abc6.com

The cold weather has created a perfect storm for pipes bursting, and that’s something many homeowners and businesses have been dealing with in the past 48 hours.

It was a busy weekend for firefighters, who have had more than 180 calls for pipes bursting from Saturday through Monday.

It’s been a hectic day for Nikita Bynoe, of Pawtucket, from the time she first turned on a faucet in her home.

"I heard a burst, I heard a bang, and then I turned the water off. But then it was still pouring out of the faucet. So, as I ducked down to listen to the sink, I heard gushing water," she says.

It turns out a pipe had burst in her apartment building on Fruit Street.

"I put my clothes on, ran in the basement, and it was just water pouring down in the basement," she says.

The water was gushing so fast through the walls it actually made its way along the outside of the home, where it since turned to ice.

"It was just a scary moment. All I could think about was the furnace and wires and everything," says Nikita.

There were no sparks, but the heat had to be turned off temporarily, to be safe.

Down the road at the Pawtucket Country Club, a busted pipe in the attic drained water into the walk-in freezer, where the sprinkler system also burst, spoiling all the food.

"When it gets this cold in such an old building, we do our best, but there’s always a chance that it’s going to happen," said Jackie Doyle, of the Country Club.

All of this happening the night before a massive renovation was scheduled at the 114-year-old building, and almost a year to the day since a pipe burst cost the country club $30,000 in damages.

"Around here, we’re just waiting for spring," joked Doyle.

Firefighters have some tips to help keep your pipes from bursting: Leave your heat on, open the cabinets under your sinks to circulate the warm air there, and let your faucets drip to relieve some of the water pressure.