Winnipeg, MB - The City urges property owners to ensure that water pipes and plumbing inside homes and buildings are protected from frigid winter conditions. Internal plumbing that is not protected can be vulnerable to freezing every winter.
Since November 21, 2014, 49 property owners have reported no water due to frozen internal plumbing. There has been one report of an underground frozen pipe on a residential property owner’s private water service pipe. The City provided thawing service the same day. There are no reports this season of a frozen water pipe on City property.
Internal plumbing
Internal plumbing refers to any pipes, including fittings, valves and fixtures, which carry water from the point where the private water service pipe enters a building to the taps. Some of the measures that private property owners can take to protect internal plumbing include:
- insulate and heat areas with water pipes, like crawl spaces.
- insulate water pipes, both hot and cold, near exterior walls or where the water pipe enters the building through the foundation.
- weather-seal windows and any air leaks around electrical outlets, vents and pipes.
Property owners can try to thaw frozen internal plumbing on their own, or contact a licensed plumber. For safety reasons, the City advises residents not to thaw internal plumbing with the following:
- open flame devices (e.g., propane torch, blow torch, candle, butane lighter, kerosene or propane heater) due to the risk of igniting combustible materials, such as flooring and wood beams,
- space heaters, heat guns, hair dryers, heating pads or any other electrical appliances, due to the risk of electrical shock from leaking water.
More details are on the City’s website at City of Winnipeg - Frozen Water Pipes.
Frozen private water service pipe - single-family residential properties
The cause of a frozen private water service pipe is highly variable from property to property and depends on a number of factors (e.g., soil shrinkage around the foundation allowing deeper frost penetration, depth of pipe, insulation along the length of the pipe, new properties where the soil hasn’t fully settled).
Single-family homeowners are responsible for their private water service pipe - from the shut-off valve (usually at the property line) to the building, including all internal plumbing.
Property owners with a frozen underground private water service pipe are responsible for all costs associated with:
- thawing, and can hire a contractor to provide thawing service or arrange for the City’s thawing service,
- running a cold water tap at a trickle all the time to prevent the pipe from refreezing.
City continues to monitor conditions
The City is vigilantly monitoring a number of conditions that contribute to frozen water pipes, such as frost depth and weather patterns. Based on all available information to date, the current frost penetration is estimated at less than 0.6 metres (2.0 feet). Frost depth is highly variable across the city, often differing from street to street. Plans are progressing to install frost depth monitors at select locations.
The City will advise property owners directly if and when it becomes necessary to leave a tap running to prevent a frozen water pipe. Residents choosing to run water as a preventative measure without receiving direction from the City would be billed for the full amount of the water and sewer charges.
A summary report on the impact of cold weather on water infrastructure is on the City’s website at City of Winnipeg - Cold Weather Impact on Water Pipes. The report, updated weekly until further notice, includes average frost depth, number of reports of frozen pipes and frozen internal plumbing, and the City’s average thawing response time.