Frigid temperatures broke cold weather records in all four Atlantic  provinces over the weekend.  On Saturday, Halifax Stanfield International Airport recorded temperatures of -25.6 C, breaking the record of -24.4 C set in 1971. The frigid cold temperatures are gone but the damage remains. Plumbers across Halifax Regional Municipality and Nova Scotia are struggling to keep up with demand as businesses and homeowners deal with burst pipes.

In case of an emergency, know where your main water valve is.  Electricity may also need to be turned off in an area where a pipe has burst.   Clean water up right away to prevent mildew.  Call a professional plumber and your insurance company.

When cold weather is forecasted, a few things that may help to avoid frozen pipes are:

•  Keep the heat on and consistent in hour house.
• If you have hot water baseboard heating, ensure all zones are working.
• Heat pumps slow down as the temperatures drops.  Turn up your alternate source of heat.
• Open cabinet doors under sinks to allow warmer air to circulate.
• Keep a couple of taps on to drip slowly allowing water to slowly move through.

Adding insulation around pipes and walls is highly recommended.  If you are away from your home during cold temperatures, ask a neighbour or friend to check on your house regularly.  Special valves can be installed on the zones of  your hot water furnace or boiler to block the water flow, should a pipe burst.   Preventative maintenance is key to avoid disaster.