Recent snowstorm played havoc in Berlin, but simple steps could prevent breaks

By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Jan. 18, 2018) Berlin Water Resources and Public Works Director Jane Kreiter said the recent snowstorm and extended cold spell was the worst she has seen during her nearly three-decade career in the town.

Because temperatures were well below freezing for a week straight, several dozen small leaks were reported, along with significant water main breaks on Jefferson and Franklin Avenue during the storm.

Another water main break occurred on Friday and caused the town to announce scheduled outages.

All told, Kreiter estimated about 950 customers were without water at some point during the last two weeks.

“I’ve never seen anything like it … It was extreme. We’ve never had it this bad before,” she said. “[The water-main break on Harrison] was very strange for us. At that point I would say close to 50 percent of the town was without water, for that hour and a half that night.”

Kreiter said precautions should be taken any time temperatures drop below freezing over a period of several days. When water freezes, it expands and can rupture water pipes.

The first step is to close or block vents near pipes under the house.

“If it’s going to be an extended period of time where temperatures are going to be below freezing, that’s what you’re looking for,” she said. “Especially with wind – it blows onto your house and it freezes those exposed pipes under your house.

“A lot of people forget to block their vents during the wintertime [and] a lot of times we don’t have to do that because we have real mild winters – this just is not one of them,” she added.

Also, open cabinet doors on vanities and below sinks to allow heat to get those pipes.

“It’s cold and you’re going to lose a little bit more heat, but I heard someone say last time their pipes froze they had $30,000 worth of damage. Pay a little bit now, or pay a lot later,” Kreiter said.

Not every faucet in the home needs to be left on. Instead, target ones further from the source. For example, if you have a two-story home, keep the water on upstairs.

“That way, water is going to be traveling through the whole system,” Kreiter said. “That’s not going to completely eliminate the chances, but it’s going to give you a real good shot of not having your pipes freeze.

“The most important thing is to let your water run a little bit, just a drip,” she added. “As long as the water is moving, it’s less likely to freeze.”

Townwide, Kreiter estimated about 35 leaks were reported during the snowstorm and its aftermath, the majority likely caused by burst pipes.

“Most of the time you don’t find out there was a frozen pipe until it thaws out – you don’t have any water, but you don’t know that your pipes are broken, because it expands when it’s frozen. Then, when it thaws out, you have a leak under your house,” she said.

“If it’s only going to be 32 degrees overnight you don’t have to do anything, but we had it for seven days – and not just 32, it was 10,” Kreiter continued. “I think we almost broke an 80-year-old record, but were one day short.”