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Mass. plumbers responding to backlog of hundreds of calls after deep freeze

NEEDHAM, Mass. — Plumbers across the state of Massachusetts have been inundated with hundreds of calls in the aftermath of the deep freeze.

The backlog of calls involving frozen or burst pipes has been multiplying since the weekend.

Several plumbers told Boston 25 News that they hope to respond to the abundance of repair requests by the end of the week.

If you don’t already have a plumber you’ve done business with before, chances are you’ll have to wait.

Carl Jonasson, owner of C.H. Jonasson Corporation in Needham, said there’s only so many jobs he can get to, and he’s prioritizing regular customers first.

“Everyone else goes on a list and that list unfortunately goes long,” said Jonasson. “Over the weekend through today, I’ve fielded probably maybe 400 phone calls.”

Jonasson said he’s noticed a common trend of what’s to blame in many of the cases of burst or frozen pipes he’s seen.

“Some people have told me they went away for the weekend. Some people told me they turned their thermostats down to 60 or 62 degrees,” he explained.

Drafts infiltrating from the outside also led to a large number of pipe problems.

“The biggest thing is the draft. Draftiness in a home is what’s going to cause freezing of pipes between windows and eves,” said Michael Giordano, owner of Giordano’s Plumbing.

That’s what Giordano believes caused a major mess at the Norfolk Senior Center.

He said the thermostat had been set to 74 degrees, but that didn’t prevent a number of pipe splits.

“As soon as the split lets go and the pipes unthaw, that’s when the water starts coming out and will cause damage to your home,” he said.

The extensive water damage from the ceiling down through the basement of the Norfolk Senior Center is expected to take months to repair.

The damage is estimated at more than a half million dollars.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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