Temperatures are drastically changing, from the twenties on Monday to the sixties on Tuesday.
That big warm-up is revealing big problems for some homeowners - frozen pipes that have burst.
"As soon as it warms back up like it is today, the pipes that have burst, the water will start spraying in your walls, in your floor in your ceiling and you know you've got a problem," said Ray McPherson with A-1 American.
McPherson says they had several calls Monday and expect to deal with even more calls over the next day or two.
In case it happens to you, you'll need to know where your water shut-off valve is located.
Here are some tips from Virginia Beach Public Utilities:
The location of the shut-off valve varies, but all buildings less than 25 years old have one. Likely locations for the private water shut-off valve include:
- Close to an outside hose bib, where the water supply pipe enters your home. The valve will be located inside a box or pipe in the ground, several feet from the exterior of your home.
- Near your water heater, or under a vanity cabinet or kitchen sink, particularly if you live in a townhouse, condominium, or apartment.
- On the wall in your garage, particularly in newer homes.
If you can't find it, you can turn off water at the meter outside or call the city to have someone do it. In Virginia Beach, during normal hours you can call (757) 385-4171. After hours and during holidays you can just dial 311.
Of course, it would be be better to not have your pipes freeze at all. The next time the temperature drops there are a couple things you can do to prevent it including opening your cabinet doors so warm air reaches your pipes and letting a small amount o water drip from the faucet.
