As Denver Thaws, Frozen Pipes Cause Headaches

DENVER (CBS4) - As frozen pipes thaw from the record-setting cold snap this week, they'll possibly burst if they're full of water.

That's increasing the number of calls plumbers are receiving.

"So we have the living room downstairs, the bathroom downtstairs, the bedroom, hallway and the utility room affected... All from the one frozen pipe," Matt Plowman with Abbotts Fire & Flood said as he surveyed the damage to a house.

Water dripped from the ceiling, seeped through the walls and drenched the carpet.

Plowman said it was a minor mess.

The damaged started in a utility room, where a frozen pip burst and sprayed on the furnace, causing the heat to go out in the unit, Plowman said. Once the heat stopped, it caused additional frozen pipes in the ceiling above the bedroom downstairs.

The homeowners were out of town, but someone checking on the house spotted the problem before it got worse.

"If this were to sit unnoticed for three to four days, you could have mold growth," Plowman said.

More homes across the metro area are likely to experience similar issues now that the arctic blast has moved out.

"I anticipate tonight we will have 100 more calls coming in," he said.

Plumbers say homeowners should protect pipes near exterior walls by applying foam insulation and keeping cabinet doors open to allow heat inside.