Local plumbers receive thousands of calls to pipe bursts across Metro Atlanta
ATLANTA - The fallout from freezing cold temperatures across metro Atlanta continued Monday as residents plagued by pipe bursts scrambled to deal with the damage. High demand for repairs had plumbers who went back to work the day after Christmas busier than ever.
"It’s been crazy … I mean since Friday night, the phones have just been going nuts," Atlantis Plumbing COO John Austin told FOX 5. "I think we’ve received somewhere between 1200 to 1500 service call requests."
Last year it was COVID-19 that ruined Christmas for many. This year, it seems to be busted pipes brought on by a winter storm and the below-freezing temperatures that came with it.
"Since I’ve been in the plumbing industry, this has been sort of the worst freeze with the most amount of people affected," Austin said.
He said the phone lines at Atlantis Plumbing haven’t stopped ringing since temperatures dropped into the teens Friday night. The extreme winter weather conditions caused water running through pipes at businesses, homes and apartments to freeze, but that was just the beginning of the problems.
"Really, the pipes bust when it freezes. You really don’t know it until it thaws, so that’s what you’ve got to be looking out for," Austin explained.
Austin told FOX 5 as warmer weather approaches, it’s important now for residents to be checking for any trace of water.
"Check the edges of your walls even walk around the outside of your house look for signs of water running out. Check your ceilings for water marks," he said.
For those less fortunate who are already dealing with a burst pipe, he said finding your water shut off valve is a key first step, if you haven’t already.
"If you don’t have a crawl space, I would look somewhere around the water heater."
If you are calling a plumber, Austin said you should know the price you pay could vary depending on the extent of the damage and the added piece of demand.
"For residential homes, I’d say the average repair would be $250 to $800."