Plumber: Prepare your pipes now for arctic blast

AKRON, Ohio - January has already been an extremely busy month for plumbers thanks to many frozen and busted pipes caused by the Polar Vortex.

"I think within a three-day period, we received 400 calls," said Keith Miller, owner of Plumbing and Flooding 911, based in Norton.

With another arctic blast expected to settle over Northeast Ohio this week, plumbers are bracing for more emergency calls.

"When there are water lines on an outside wall, like a fixture on an outside wall, that's going to be prone to freezing, so the biggest thing is to add some sort of heat source," Miller said.

Insulation sleeves can be a solution because the protection should keep the the pipes warmer for a longer period of time. However, Miller said those are not foolproof.

"Insulation will protect it from being cold, but if it stays cold, that means it can still freeze. If it's insulated, the insulation is just going to keep the cold in there longer," he said.

Miller also suggested using fiberglass insulation around pipes in smaller spaces along outside walls.

Other tips to avoid frozen pipes include opening up kitchen and bathroom cabinets so that warm air reaches the pipes, and let your faucets run a slow, steady stream rather than a drip.

"That way the water is moving through the pipe. It won't be subject to freezing because it's being moved through the pipes," Miller explained.

If your pipes freeze, rubbing them with a warm, damp rag could help thaw the line.

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Plumber: Prepare your pipes now for arctic blast