[DaVinciRemodel]

I woke up this morning to two voice mails on my phone from longtime customers that have frozen pipes. It seems that my options are:

• Let the pipes do their own thawing (tomorrows forecast is 45 degrees) and hope for the best.
• Or, get over there to see if I can access the frozen areas and set some space heaters.

Are there other alternatives I’m not thinking of?

 

[KAP]

I woke up this morning to two voice mails on my phone from longtime customers that have frozen pipes. It seems that my options are:

• Let the pipes do their own thawing (tomorrows forecast is 45 degrees) and hope for the best.
• Or, get over there to see if I can access the frozen areas and set some space heaters.

Are there other alternatives I’m not thinking of?

First one don't make you no money... :whistling

 

[MarkJames]

Depends where it's frozen. If it's a bathroom, open the vanity door and use a hair dryer to get some warm air back there. Things like that. If the faucet handle is ice cold, that's a clue.

 

[hdavis]

I'd either turn off the water or check for splits before thawing

 

[Texplum0801]

Thawing pipes artificially when frozen generally results in split pipes when PVC or cpvc is the material used.

 

[mikeswoods]

You are going to need to find out where the pipes are---if they are frozen they may well be split and not leaking yet because of the ice---

If the folks have to leave the house--I suggest they shut off the main line and drain the pipes---

 

[DaVinciRemodel]

Update:

Went to one of the houses yesterday – three bathrooms on three floors – no water – hot or cold. By time I got to the upper most bath, I heard water running below. The short story is that all three baths started flowing water while I was there. Must have been the sun beating on the east wall that did the trick – no broken pipes.

In the second house (I remodeled the kitchen 3 years ago), we have no water to the prep sink in the kitchen and no cold water to the main sink in the kitchen. This kitchen is over a crawlspace and one of the ugliest crawlspaces ever created by man – the original builder, not me.

The pipes in the crawlspace are sandwiched between the insulation and the sub-floor – the kitchen floor is heated. The chances of finding the affected area are near zero here. We are just going to wait and hope for the best. The main sink (hot) didn’t freeze because we have a recirc. pump dedicated to that sink.

 

[goneelkn]

Make sure they know where the main shutoff is! Just in case.

 

[DaVinciRemodel]

Update:

Crisis averted! We have water flowing from all faucets and no broken pipes :clap: Thanks for all the input :thumbsup:

 

[KAP]

Update:

Crisis averted! We have water flowing from all faucets and no broken pipes :clap: Thanks for all the input :thumbsup:

Glad to hear... Did you make any money?

 

[DaVinciRemodel]

Glad to hear... Did you make any money?

One of these customers (and their immediate family) has spent over $3 mil with me over 25 years.

The second one has spent over $900k with me in the last three years.

There will be no invoices sent :no: :laughing:

 

[KAP]

One of these customers (and their immediate family) has spent over $3 mil with me over 25 years.

The second one has spent over $900k with me in the last three years.

There will be no invoices sent :no: :laughing:

Dang, for $900K & $3Mil you figure you could give 'em some pipes that wouldn't freeze... :whistling :jester: :laughing:

 

[DaVinciRemodel]

Dang, for $900K & $3Mil you figure you could give 'em some pipes that wouldn't freeze... :whistling :jester: :laughing:

:laughing::laughing:

Job security :thumbsup: :laughing:

 

[KAP]

:laughing::laughing:

Job security :thumbsup: :laughing:

Job security means you get PAID... :laughing:

 

[DaVinciRemodel]

Job security means you get PAID... :laughing:

For my wife’s birthday, I took her to Shanahan’s Steakhouse. The bill for the two of us was $214. The after dinner mint was free. You gotta know when nickels and dimes aren’t important :thumbsup:

 

[KAP]

For my wife’s birthday, I took her to Shanahan’s Steakhouse. The bill for the two of us was $214. The after dinner mint was free. You gotta know when nickels and dimes aren’t important :thumbsup:

So you think you got that mint for free huh?... :whistling

I understand the value of good will with a long-term customer who pays... but anytime I have to spend time away from my family, someone's payin'... don't get that time back...

But I'm mostly just bustin'... mostly... :jester: :laughing:

 

[DaVinciRemodel]

So you think you got that mint for free huh?... :whistling

No I don’t, I fully understand that the mint was calculated as overhead on the price of the meal ! Don’t tell them I took two :laughing:

I understand the value of good will with a long-term customer who pays... but anytime I have to spend time away from my family, someone's payin'... don't get that time back...

Good will is exactly what it is. Always take care of those who take care of you and your family :thumbsup: Then add it as overhead to the next project :lol:

But I'm mostly just bustin'... mostly... :jester: :laughing:

I know you are… mostly :laughing: Maybe someone just breaking into the biz can learn from our conversation :thumbsup: A conversation on this is much more important than "How much you charge for..." Or, "How many prehungs can you hang in 15 minutes?" :thumbsup:

 

[KillerToiletSpider]

Had said pipes been installed in a manner to keep them from freezing it would have saved you a lot of time.

 

[MTN REMODEL LLC]

For my wife’s birthday, I took her to Shanahan’s Steakhouse. The bill for the two of us was $214. The after dinner mint was free. You gotta know when nickels and dimes aren’t important :thumbsup:

Smart man.... Best uncontestable advice I've ever heard on here

 

[Inner10]

Smart man.... Best uncontestable advice I've ever heard on here

I dunno if the dinner froze in the middle of my meal I think I'd want my money back. :whistling