Plumbers inundated with calls to fix burst pipes

Plumbers are in high demand to repair damage to both residential and commercial water pipes.

The director of Plumbing Connections, Sharon Hitchins, said it had been the worst year for frozen pipes she had seen in her 20-plus years in the industry.

“With extreme drops in temperature over consecutive days, we have call-outs all day, every day,” Ms Hitchins said.

She recounted two flooded homes, one in Cooma and another in Canberra, after owners returned from holidays to find pipes had burst and their houses flooded.

Plumber Andrew McReynolds is in the same boat, with more than eight call-outs for frozen pipes in the past 10 days.

“It’s worse this year than I’ve seen before," he said.

“The main issue is outdoor pipes which are exposed to the elements like pipes running across exterior walls or where water enters the home through ceiling cavities,” Mr McReynolds said.

Pipes burst when water freezes inside them.

Ms Hitchins said older houses and poor pipework were also to blame for the influx of calls.

“Those who escape the Canberra cold for a holiday run a higher risk of returning home to find their houses flooded because heating systems are off for longer periods of time,” she said.

Mr McReynolds encouraged Canberrans to have heating running during the colder hours of the night and to ensure adequate insulation, which could prevent pipes from freezing over and cracking.

Plumbers suggest using insulation products such as heat tape or pipe sleeves for protection from freezing, particularly in basements, garages and ceiling cavities.