Earlier this year, a horrific winter storm hit Texas. The record low temperatures, snow, and ice wreaked havoc on the power grid and left many without power for days. Unfortunately, the loss of power led to a plumber’s worst nightmare: burst pipes.
In Texas, such low temperatures are uncommon, and their pipes and plumbing systems were especially vulnerable to the cold, which led to the plumbing disaster. Now that the danger has passed, many people are working on getting their homes and businesses repaired from the devastation. Plumbers Without Borders, a volunteer organization, is on the scene helping to coordinate the effort.
The situation in Texas shows just how quickly problems can develop in a plumbing system. As commercial plumbers, we work hard to ensure any system we build is top quality. We take every safety precaution to ensure that the system will hold. But natural disasters do happen, and plumbing systems can be especially vulnerable. It’s best to inspect your building for signs of an issue and to invest in preventive maintenance.
Here are a few issues that are important to keep an eye out for:
- Leaking taps, drains, or signs of water damage. A leak is a plumber’s biggest nemesis, and in a commercial system with lots of complex parts, they can be deadly. Leaks lead to water loss, but they can also wear out pipes and destroy other parts of the building, especially if left unchecked.
- Bad smells. Stinky pipes and drains can be a sign of bad internal plumbing issues. First, check for a blockage, and if one can’t be found, call in a professional to flush and check the system.
- Bad water temperature. In a large building, regulating water temperature can be tricky. We always design our systems to handle capacity for the whole building. If you notice that you consistently have issues with water temperature, it’s time to get the plumbing system checked.
The storm in Texas showed how vulnerable plumbing systems are in extreme weather events. Many things can go wrong with a commercial plumbing system as they are often very complex. We design the plumbing systems from the ground up for many of our projects, and we do our best to prepare for every eventuality. But things do happen, and when they do, we’re here to help fix them. The best thing to do to prepare for plumbing emergencies is to build with a reputable and top-quality company and invest in regular safety checks and preventive maintenance.
