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5 Ways To Prevent Water Pipes From Breaking

Ice forming inside of pipes often is not the cause for pipes breaking. Rather, water pipes typically break when an ice blockage occurs and the freezing and expansion causes an increase in pressure between the ice blockage and a closed faucet downstream of the blockage. Pipes that are protected by heat or insulation are typically safe, while pipes in crawlspaces, attics, and outside walls are vulnerable to freezing. Extremely cold weather and holes in the exterior for things such as telephone wire, cable, gas lines, etc. can allow cold air to come in contact with water pipes.

The water in pipes freeze when heat is transferred to subfreezing air. Cracks and holes in outside walls near water pipes should be sealed with caulk to keep cold air away from the pipes.

Kitchen and bath cabinets can prevent heat from reaching the pipes. It is a good idea to keep the cabinet doors open during a cold spell to let warm air circulate around the pipes.

Letting a faucet drip during extreme cold weather can help reduce the risk of a pipe freezing. Pipes can still freeze with running water but by opening the faucet, pressure is relieved between an ice blockage and the faucet. Even if the pipe freezes the risk of pipes bursting is reduced.

With exterior piping the best solution may be to have a plumber re-route piping to better protect the piping. Other options include using electric heating tapes and cables which can be applied to the pipes to keep the water inside from freezing. Pipe insulation can also be installed to slow the transfer of heat and better protect the pipe.

When away from the house be careful how low you set the temperature in the house. Consider draining the water system during extreme weather if leaving the house or during a power outage with no heat source. Turn off the main water valve and open all the fixtures in the house until the water stops running.

If you open a faucet and no water comes out you should call a plumber. If a water pipe bursts turn off the water at an isolation valve or at the main shut off valve usually located where the main enters the house. Leave the faucet open until repairs are complete. You may be able to thaw a pipe using handheld hair dryer. With the faucet open begin heating near the faucet and work upstream on the pipe.

Typically when I am discussing water problems with the condo’s property manager or the board, the focus is on leaking roofs, foundations, windows, or other building envelope points of water infiltration. Instead, this article’s focus will be on water damage problems from inside sources and their prevention.

It is hard to talk about inside water damage without also considering a lengthy discussion of insurance matters, but I’ll try. The short answer is both the board and the unit owner should confirm the correct policies are in place. The association’s master insurance policy review should determine if the policy covers both as-built and upgrades (i.e. betterments and improvement clause) or just the walls, floors, and ceiling. The unit owners should consider sewer/ drain back-up coverage, if the policy does not. Keep in mind, insurance adjusters are looking for ways to avoid claim payouts. They will look for the source of the water and whether it was caused by accidental reasons or old age wear and tear; lack of maintenance; or your negligence.

So why is internal water damage such a big deal? It is because it is the number ONE insurance claim in the nation beating out other high profile claims including tornadoes, hurricanes, and wildfires. And it is growing. 1 in 50 homes experienced an internal water claim in the five year period of 2013 to 2017 per Verish Analytics ISO who provides insurance industry statistical data. This 5-year claim rate of 2.05% per dwelling is up from the prior 5-year statistical period rate of 1.44%. This equates to an average $10,000 per claim and $13 billion in total claims for 2017. It’s a big deal.

So why is this happening? The short answer is the trends in condo and HOA development and the aging of residential building inventory across the country. The burst in condo development in the 1980’s and 2000’s have resulted in many more water sourced appliances in risky locations. Many homes built in the last 20 to 30 years have laundries on the second floor instead of the more traditional basement location where a leaking hose could be dealt with a mop and bucket.

Some homes can have more than 40 water connections including washing machines; water sourced heat pumps; ice makers; wet bars; filtration systems; extra bathrooms; dishwashers; garbage disposals; indirect hydronic floor heat; and the list goes on. This partially explains why fire damage claims in the US have declined while water claims have increased, not only in numbers but in amount. High-end properties are the worst for this increase in water claims. For homes valued greater than $500,000 the claim sizes have doubled since 2015 while homes valued greater than $1 million have tripled in size according to the Wall Street Journal.

So what’s a property manager, board, or unit owner to do? Protect the home. Needless to say, each condo or HOA complex has its own factors of importance. These factors must be considered and a plan should be established to minimize the potential problems each type of complex should address. One place to start is the creation of a central maintenance log to record all reported internal water events to determine if there is a trend or pattern. An aging condo may have experienced a rash of washing machine hose leaks. This may prompt the property manage to notify unit owners to inspect their own hoses for wear or even hire a plumber to inspect all of the units’ water sourced appliances. Another HOA may have a population of ‘snow birds’ who should be cautioned to maintain their unit thermostats at a certain level to avoid pipe freeze up while they are vacationing in warmer climates. Sometimes a global reminder to all unit owners of the location of their central water shut off valve for future water emergencies is a good ounce of prevention.

Needless to say, no matter how much a property manager or board thinks about internal water damage, it often comes down to the individual unit owner being responsible to maintain the unit. Investing in water sensors at some risky or perennial problem locations may be money well spent. Educating the unit owners through the association’s newsletter or web site is also a step in the right direction. Reminders of the importance of maintaining caulk in the tubs and showers; hose connections for all appliances; and periodic observations around the home looking for developing rust; drywall damage; and pooling water can go a long way in preventing a trickle becoming a sea of trouble.

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Article written by Jack Carr, P.E., R.S., LEED-AP, Criterium Engineers

Published in Condo Media May 2019 edition

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5 Ways to Prevent Water Pipes From Breaking

5 Ways To Prevent Water Pipes From Breaking

Water, Water, Everywhere