Fall is the time to read the borough's cold weather notice, not January. The Department of Public Works in Berlin Borough warns that frozen water meters break and that frozen pipes can burst and cause flooding later, once the ice thaws. This post explains what the notice says, which part of the water service belongs to whom and what the cleanup looks like when a pipe does let go.
Key takeaways
- The borough's Department of Public Works warns that frozen water meters break and frozen pipes can burst and cause flooding later.
- The notice tells customers to check for cold drafts, open windows and unheated areas, including basements and crawl spaces where water pipes run.
- The underground service pipe to a building freezes only after a prolonged period of extreme cold freezes the ground to the depth of the pipe.
- If a freeze is in the borough's part of the service, from the main to the curb stop, the customer is not charged for thawing.
- The customer's part of the service and a meter damaged by freezing are the customer's expense.
What the cold weather notice says
The Berlin Borough Water Department runs the public water system and sits inside the Department of Public Works. Its cold weather notice is short and practical.
The notice does not promise that every freeze can be prevented. It is a reminder that the cheapest time to find a cold spot is before the first hard freeze, not after a pipe splits.
- Frozen water meters break.
- Frozen pipes can burst and cause flooding later.
- Customers should check basements and crawl spaces where water pipes run, for cold drafts, open windows and unheated areas.
- The underground service pipe to a building can freeze only after a prolonged period of extreme cold freezes the ground to the depth of the pipe.
Why a frozen pipe floods later
Ice itself seldom causes the flood. Water that freezes inside a pipe expands, and the pipe splits where the ice formed, but the ice plugs the split until it melts.
When the weather warms or the heat comes back on, the plug turns to water and the pipe leaks or sprays. That is the flood the borough means by the words 'cause flooding later'.
Where the damage tends to show
A burst in an unheated space, such as a garage wall or a crawl space, may spray into an empty room before anyone notices. A split behind a cabinet or inside an exterior wall wets the cavity first and the room second.
Who is responsible for which part of the service
The notice splits the water service into two parts, and it matters because the cost of a freeze depends on where it happened.
The borough's part
The borough's part of the service runs from the main to the curb stop. If a freeze is in that part, the customer is not charged for thawing.
The customer's part
The customer's part of the service, and any meter damaged by freezing, is the customer's expense. A leak at the meter itself, as opposed to the valve in front of it, is reported to the Department of Public Works.
Older and newer houses, different weak spots
The 2010 American Community Survey counted 307 housing units in Berlin built before 1939 and 745 built from 2000 to 2010, and the county hazard plan says about one in four homes were built in the 2000s. Framing and finishes vary by era, so the places a freeze reaches vary too.
The municipal working group that wrote the hazard plan rated winter severe weather a high priority and extreme heat and cold a moderate priority.
- Older houses may have pipes in exterior walls or in rooms added later.
- Newer houses may have pipes over garages or in unheated chases.
- Both kinds can have a meter or a supply pipe in a spot that heat does not reach.
Checking for cold spots before the first hard freeze
The borough's own advice is a good checklist. A walk through the house in early fall costs nothing and finds most of the weak spots.
- Look for gaps, cracks or open vents near pipes in garages, crawl spaces and other unheated areas, where the home has them.
- Close windows and seal drafts near any pipe or the water meter.
- Make sure heat reaches the rooms and cabinets where pipes run.
- Know where the main shutoff valve is, and test that it turns.
- Disconnect outdoor hoses and shut off the supply to outdoor faucets.
If a pipe freezes or bursts
A frozen pipe that has not yet split can sometimes be warmed gently. A burst pipe is a different job and needs immediate action.
Opening a faucet a little lets melting water escape and relieves pressure, and warm towels or a hair dryer can thaw a frozen section. Heat from an open flame, a torch or a space heater left unattended makes things worse.
- Shut off the water at the main valve as soon as a split or spray is found.
- Keep away from wet outlets and switches, and turn off power to the area from a dry spot.
- Never use an open flame to thaw a pipe.
- Photograph the damage before anything is moved.
- Bring in extraction right away so the water does not soak further into walls and floors.
What the cleanup involves
A frozen pipe cleanup starts with the shutoff and with locating every place the water went. Extraction pulls the standing water, and a moisture meter and thermal camera find wet cavities behind walls and under floors.
For a pipe that split, burst pipe cleanup opens the wet walls and ceilings, removes soaked insulation and dries the framing with dehumidifiers and air movers. Wet drywall is often cut out.
It will not recover once it has soaked.
Pipes in garages, crawl spaces and outside walls are the usual weak points across South Jersey, so a frozen pipe cleanup crew works through the same kind of spaces in many towns.
- Clean supply water means many materials can be dried in place if the job starts early.
- Mold can start within 24 to 48 hours on wet materials, so the first day matters.
- A plumber repairs or replaces the split pipe, and the drying continues after the repair.
Questions
What does Berlin Borough say about frozen meters and pipes?
The Department of Public Works warns that frozen water meters break and frozen pipes can burst and cause flooding later.
When does the underground service pipe freeze?
The borough says it can freeze only after a prolonged period of extreme cold freezes the ground to the depth of the pipe.
Who pays for thawing a frozen service?
If the freeze is in the borough's part, from the main to the curb stop, the customer is not charged for thawing. The customer's part of the service and a meter damaged by freezing are the customer's expense.
Where does the borough say to check for cold spots?
The notice names cold drafts, open windows and unheated areas, including basements and crawl spaces where water pipes run.
Why does a pipe flood after the cold ends?
Ice in a split pipe acts like a plug. When it melts, water flows out through the split, and the flooding starts.