TOLEDO, Ohio — As frigid temperatures continue and January ends, frozen pipes are a danger for Toledoans. There are some ways to prevent it though, and save thousands of dollars in potential damages.
Jodi Gross, the executive director of the east Toledo Senior Center, is all too familiar with the damage frozen pipes can cause if they burst. The senior center was forced to temporarily close after water began flooding the building on Dec. 27.
Gross said budgeting for surprise maintenance issues is important because repair costs can leave dents in the wallet.
"We had some broken pipes replaced, we had cabinets and countertops replaced and the floor will be replaced at a later date," Gross said of the senior center's repairs. "It's probably going to be about $20,000."
Luckily, the center has the support of the community and the city of Toledo, which covered the cost.
Gross said The Blarney Irish Pub in downtown Toledo donated an industrial microwave to the senior center, saving them the trouble of having to buy a new one.
Reliable community partners like these were beneficial to the senior center's recovery, she said.
But others may not be so lucky when it comes to bouncing back. Casey Wojciechowski, vice president of Wojo's Heating and Air Conditioning, said protecting pipes from freezing can be a simple but vital preemptive measure.
"Once they break and then they thaw out, it's just nonstop running water," Wojciechowski said. "It's ruining your ceilings, it's ruining your walls, it's ruining your finished spaces. I know this from experience because we have had hundreds of calls just this season so far. And there's so many ways to prevent this."
Wojciechowski, a home service technician, advised a few ways to prevent it:
- use insulation and heat tape to wrap your pipes
- keep your thermostat at 65 degrees or higher, even when you're not home
- keep a constant but low stream of faucet water running throughout the day
- open cabinets and let a space heater warm the cold areas in your home
Now that the senior center is back open and functional, Gross said pipes are of the utmost priority on their winter checklist.
"We are making sure that our pipes don't break again by running the water a little, but otherwise I think that the repairs that were made, I think that we are more protected than we were," she said.
Gross said the senior center serves as a warming station. Any local seniors seeking food and recreations are welcome, and can call at the center at 410-691-2254 for more information.
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