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Plumbers in high demand after North Texas freeze
Repair crews are trying to fix dozens of water main breaks caused by the extremely cold weather. FOX 4's Hanna Battah reports plumbers are also working overtime to help homeowners whose pipes burst.
DALLAS - Plumbers and water utility repair crews in North Texas are working overtime to fix problems caused by this week’s arctic blast.
The temperatures will finally get above freezing on Wednesday. That’s welcome news to many.
MORE: Dallas-Fort Worth Weather Forecast
But once it happens, more and more people will discover they have broken pipes. And crews in North Texas are already busy.
Water main breaks have been reported all over the Metroplex.
Water main breaks across North Texas cause traffic trouble, frustrate homeowners
The biggest impact was seen in Tarrant County. Crews in Fort Worth alone responded to more than 20 water main breaks. Officials expect the problem to continue until the end of the week.
Both Dallas and Fort Worth said they do not have enough crews right now to fix all the water main problems. So, some breaks still don’t have workers assigned to them.
The city of Fort Worth said its crews have repaired about 70 breaks over the past week. At least 13 more still need repairs.
In Dallas, more than 20 water main breaks are being fixed.
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Water main breaks frustrate homeowners, drivers
The biggest impact was seen in Tarrant County. Crews in Fort Worth alone responded to more than 20 water main breaks. Officials expect the problem to continue until the end of the week.
When it comes to your home, plumbers say if you’re getting just a trickle of water flowing from a faucet, there are steps you can take to thaw them out as long as you do so carefully.
"They can actually put heaters underneath their sink, anywhere that there’s actually a faucet. They’re able to put heaters and start warming the area up to see if they can get water flow," said Tony Hernandez with Z Plumbersz North Texas.
"The biggest thing we would like to stress to people is do not try to sweat the pipes. We have had instances in the past where someone tried to provide direct heat to the pipes. That is not a safe practice," added Rob Borse with Dallas Fire-Rescue.
If you have no water flowing from a faucet, you’re urged to shut off the water to your home now to avoid potentially severe damage once the pipes thaw.
Then it might be time to call a plumber. Just be patient as they work to help to help everyone who needs it.
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Water main breaks continue across North Texas
Crews across DFW have been working on water main breaks, and some homeowners and renters are dealing with frozen and burst pipes. As we thaw, it'll likely only get worse.