Icy pipes a chilly casualty of the cold

AUSTIN (KXAN) - As our rare outbreak of subfreezing temperatures continues to bring the coldest temperatures in more than a decade, it could likely get even worse by Saturday morning.

Austin hit 24 degrees Friday morning, though the record stands at 16 degrees in 1912. The warmest temperature on Friday was 28 degrees at 12:27 a.m.

Winds are expected to be near calm, accompanied by clear skies and very cold air migrating in from the north. This air mass could allow temperatures to drop into the upper teens by Saturday morning.

Kathryn Loveless woke up to the cold, hard fact that she had no running water Friday morning.

"I was running around the house going, 'Where's the water! Where's the water! Where's the water?'" said Loveless.

She moved to Central Texas to get away from the harsh winters of Chicago. But those bitter winters have followed her here.

"I should have checked it a little bit better," said Loveless. "I completely forgot because I was so tired last night."

AAA Auger professional plumber David Jones came to the rescue.

"In the plumbing world, plumbers understand this is going to happen," said Jones. "We have guys on standby 24 hours."

Jones spent a few minutes sawing through the outdoor pipes.

"That's ice!" said Jones. "I would say within the next six hours this thing would have erupted."

Jones said this is exactly what can happen when pipes are not insulated properly.

"It's very important," said Jones. "It can get really costly if not for some preventative maintenance."

Already, the Austin area has seen some of the effects of the frigid temperatures with icy roads around town.

The area around Exposition and Lake Austin boulevards reportedly ice over Friday morning, as well as icy patches around 24th and San Gabriel streets.

Another problematic area surfaced on the roadway early Friday morning at Duval Road and Research Boulevard after a business left its sprinklers on overnight. Crews treated the area with sand to give drivers more traction.

Fountain water was even freezing in the frigid Friday morning temperatures.

"We kept our fountain on all night thinking the running water wouldn't freeze -- WRONG!" said Gary McClung, who lives 12 miles west of San Marcos on RR12.

Low 20s are expected on Sunday morning, but weekend high temperatures should at least reach 40 degrees.

Fortunately, no rain will occur during our freezing weather. However, expect a few showers to return once temperatures warm up next week.

The National Weather Service is advising area residents to make preparations for the coming cold wave. A hard freeze can cause damage to exposed water pipes and can kill sensitive vegetation. Pets and livestock will be stressed by this arctic outbreak and should be provided protection as well.

Austin Parks and Recreation Department temporarily closed the O. Henry Museum. Public Information and Marketing Victor E. Ovalle said there is a malfunction in the museum's heating system. Ovalle said the museum closed due to the frigid temperatures the City of Austin is experiencing and lack of heat in the building. The Museum is projected to reopen Saturday, January 9th at noon.

 

Residents should take precautions to protect people, pets, plants and pipes.

* Make sure children are dressed appropriately for the cold weather
* Have safe heating equipment available inside
* Check smoke detectors
* Winterize your windows and doors with caulking and weather stripping
* Make sure pets have adequate shelter and warmth, food and water
* Cover vulnerable outdoor plants or move them indoors
* Wrap outdoor pipes in newspapers or insulation and cover with plastic
* Let faucets drip a little to avoid freezing

 

Protecting pipes:

An eighth-inch crack in a pipe can leak up to 250 gallons of water a day. By taking a few simple precautions, you can save yourself the mess, money and aggravation frozen pipes can cause.

* Insulate pipes in your home's crawl spaces and attic. These exposed pipes are most susceptible to freezing. The more insulation you use, the better protected your pipes will be.
* Heat tape or thermostatically-controlled heat cables can be used to wrap pipes. Be sure to use products approved by an independent testing organization, such as Underwriters Laboratories Inc., and only for the use intended (exterior or interior). Closely follow all manufacturers' installation and operation instructions.
* Seal leaks that allow cold air inside near where pipes are located. Look for air leaks around electrical wiring, dryer vents and pipes. Use caulk or insulation to keep the cold out and the heat in. With severe cold, even a tiny opening can let in enough cold air to cause a pipe to freeze.
* Disconnect garden hoses and, if possible, use an indoor valve to shut off and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets. This reduces the chance of freezing in the short span of pipe just inside the house. If you don't have a separate valve to turn off outside water, wrap or cover faucets or hose bibs with an insulating material.
* Letting a faucet drip during extreme cold weather can prevent a pipe from bursting. Opening a faucet will provide relief from the excessive pressure that builds between the faucet and the ice blockage when freezing occurs. A dripping faucet wastes some water, so only pipes vulnerable to freezing (ones that run through an unheated or unprotected space) should be left with the water flowing.
* Open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls.

If you’re planning on being away from home during the cold weather:

* Set the thermostat in your house no lower than 55°F.
* Ask a friend or neighbor to check your house daily to make sure it's warm enough to prevent freezing.

ERCOT sets new winter peak

The grid operator for most of the state set a new winter record of 55,856 megawatts during 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. Friday, exceeding the old record by almost 5,500 megawatts.

 

The Electric Reliability Council of Texas region initially exceeded the previous winter record between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Thursday when consumers used an hourly average of 52,001 megawatts of power – almost 1,600 megawatts higher than the old record of 50,408 megawatts in Feb. 16, 2007.

 

“The ERCOT grid has not experienced any major operational issues during this severe weather event," said System Planning and Operations Vice President Kent Saathoff. “We are expecting continued higher-than-average winter demand today, although not as high as this morning’s load. We don’t anticipate any problems meeting the demand, barring any unexpected major outages.”

 

A megawatt typically powers about 500 average homes during average conditions.

 

Meanwhile, ERCOT reached another peak in 2009. The all-time summer peak demand of 63,400 megawatts happened on July 13, 2009.

 

Winter Peak History

 

• 55,856* MW - Jan. 8, 2010 (7-8 a.m.)
• 52,001* MW - Jan. 7, 2010 (7-8 p.m.)
• 45,495 MW - Jan. 29, 2009
• 47,806 MW - Dec. 15, 2008
• 50,408 MW - Feb. 16, 2007
• 45,143 MW - Nov. 30, 2006
• 48,064 MW - Dec. 8, 2005
• 42,698 MW - Jan. 6, 2004
• 45,433 MW - Jan. 24, 2003
• 43,916 MW - Jan. 3, 2002
• 44,641 MW - Dec. 12, 2001
• 39,075 MW - Jan. 28, 2000

Thursday's strong cold front not only dropped temperatures, but whipped winds, kicking up plenty of cedar pollen. The dry, cold air is also causing big skin problems.

 Tara Tobin is weathering the elements at Lady Bird Lake. Her dog Lyric loves the outdoors right now. Tara, on the other hand, has a few issues.

"I do a shot combined with a pill," said Tobin. "Isn't that sad? So I live medicated!"

Tara suffers from cedar, and Thursday's strong cold front did not help. From cedar fever to the common cold, Doctors' offices are packed with patients.

"We see a lot of viral infections, and the windy weather is bringing out the cedar, so we're seeing cedar allergies on top of that," said Dennis Dyer, Austin Allergy Associates.

More and more Central Texans are also coming in with eczema, which is brought on by the harsh Arctic air. Doctors advise the dry, cold air can easily strip away your skin, so it's important to moisturize.

"You know how you'll get little patches?" said Tobin. "I have a patch on my chin that's kind of peeling. I really have to pay extra attention to."