The need for plumbers has been rising as the temperatures have been dropping across Iowa this week. Jed Pasterski, who owns JP Plumbing and Heating in Cedar Rapids, says a lot of calls to his business have been in response to similar problems. “A pipe broke or froze and leaked water into the house,” Pasterski says.
It doesn’t take long for this kind of cold to create a big mess. Pasterski says one of the biggest issues comes when people travel away from home during the holidays. “For some reason the furnace won’t start, then all of the sudden you’ve got plummeting temperatures. It doesn’t take long for it to get cold in the house, then the pipe breaks,” Pasterski explains.
Plumbers suggest having someone check the house every day during your trip to make sure the furnace is working. If an extremely cold night is in the forecast, William Derby of Benjamin Franklin Plumbing in Cedar Rapids has a recommendation for people who’ve had problems in the past with pipes in their house or mobile home. “Leave the water running, just a little trickle or something like that, to just make sure the water is moving,” Derby said.
Plumbers also suggest not turning your furnace lower than about 55 or 60 degrees in your home.
by Jill Kasperie, KCRG-TV