Rapid Change In Temperature Causes Pipes To Burst
Chicago (CBS) -- The warmer temperatures are a welcomed sight for most, but for some, it brings bursting pipes and flooding.
The Chicago Fire Department responded to a call for a water leak in a building in the 500 block of South Clinton Street Saturday afternoon.
Someone told them a woman was stuck in the elevator there because a pipe burst on the seventh floor and flooded areas below it.
That woman was waist-deep in water.
Fortunately, firefighters were able to pull her out and she is fine.
"We were able to rescue her through the top and then we were able to control the water and shut the water off," Chief Stephen Little said.
In Pilsen, busted pipes have proved expensive for one homeowner.
The furnace went out. The pipes froze over and, during the thaw, burst and caused flooding.
A crew has been in a cloud of drywall dust cutting open parts of the home and looking for pipes that are leaking.
They estimate the damage is about $15,000.
During a normal week, they take about 70 calls. During the last two days, they've gotten about 150.
While this kind of sight happens during the winter, workers say this is different because the weather extremes are unusual.
"I've never seen anything like this at all, ever in my career, so this is one for the books for sure," Joe O'Neal, of O'Neal Plumbing, said.
Plumbers recommend keeping heat at a regular level, ensuring buildings have proper insulation and leaving taps with a slight drip during low temperatures to avoid cold weather-related issues.
