LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Several Kentucky cities are watching water lines as they thaw and leaked, causing water issues.
As temperatures begin to rise, stubborn ice across the bluegrass starts to melt away. “People start realizing their water pressure has decreased or they don’t have water coming out of their faucets or they hear the water shooting underneath their home," explains Sherry Connell, who's the office manager for Pipe Surgeon Plumbing. “If you hear water trickling or you hear a spraying sound in your walls. That’s most likely a busted pipe. I would encourage people who live with crawl spaces to get out there to get in there with a flashlight. Take a look around, see if they see any leaks dripping from their pipes but also just continue to listen to see if they hear any different noises than normal.”
These are telltale signs that your pipes have potentially burst. Connell says normally, when a pipe freezes, you don't know how bad it is until it begins to thaw and, unfortunately, burst. This is not only happening to homes and businesses across Lexington but also other cities.
Hazard has already repaired 48 water line breaks and continues to seal those leaksthe more they come across them. You can follow their Facebook page for all water line updates.
Harlan County, announced a state of emergency on Facebook Friday night because of water line leaks in Black Mountain Utility District area. The county judge executive posted a 30-minute video explaining the areas they are working on, the areas that have been fixed, and any other vital information.
“This kind of weather is really tricky because a lot of our customers have even left their faucets dripping like recommended and their cabinets left open, so the warm air can get underneath their cabinets to help prevent these pipes from bursting," explains Connell.
However, when temperatures dip into the negatives, there's no telling what will happen.
A pipe burst in a Lexington warehouse on Saturday afternoon, spilling water on the floor and soaking the ceiling. Pipe Surgeon Plumbing sent one of its plumbers to seal the burst and was able to do so.
“We have an on-call schedule that rotates and this week we’ve had all hands on deck. So I had a plumber that was out until midnight last night and then up at the crack of dawn, getting to peoples homes at 8:00 a.m.," Connell details. “If you don’t catch a pipe burst right at the beginning, that water you’re going to see an increase in your water bill. That water is going to spread through your home. So your flooring could end up being destroyed, your drywall if it’s in a wall. Your ceilings. It all depends on the location where your pipe broke.”
