Service techs busy as temperatures stay below freezing for prolonged period

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - If you’re keeping the heat running and water flowing, take some precautionary steps when the temps drop this low for this long.

Once the temps drop, the calls rise at Environment Masters.

“Today, it won’t get above freezing,” said Environment Masters President Ben Nalty. “So it actually probably gets a little progressively worse as the day goes on, for us in terms of just being busy and volume, because it fell pretty fast last night. So, I mean, there’s been some immediate freezing, but the fact that it’s not going to get above freezing today, we’ll have a lot more catch up with us going in this evening. And tomorrow morning. So it’s gonna be a real busy holiday.”

They’ve initially had two main problems: frozen pipes are the most obvious issue. But then...

“We are also having several different municipalities with issues on gas pressure which those calls, customers usually don’t know what’s happening,” described Nalty. “They just think their heat’s not working and their hot water is not working. And then we find out there’s not enough gas pressure going to the house. Any relatively new product if it doesn’t have gas and doesn’t run and critical alert code trip out, and it won’t come back on. So, even if you get your gas pressure right, it just might not come back on. So we’ll have to come to restart it, that sort of thing.”

Since we’re not talking about a one-and-done day of freezing this go-around, you may be planning to leave for an extended period for the holiday. In that case...

“It wouldn’t be a terrible idea to shut your water off and keep your heat on,” he added. “Like I know a lot of people try to conserve their appliance usage and stuff and they leave but I would leave your heat on like you’re there. You know, I’d keep it 65-70.”

And they’ll have techs working if you do face a Christmas weekend crisis.

“If we’ve got to help you out with a Christmas miracle, we’ll be willing to do it,” said Nalty.

Their advice holds steady on the basics of turning on those inside faucets, both hot and cold, and leaving them dripping. And keeping the outside faucets covered. Once the thaw starts, if you see signs of a potential leak, go ahead and shut off the water till service techs can get to you to avoid any damage.

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