Businesses shut after water main burst

Temperatures on Monday edged above the sub-zero lows set over the weekend, but problems with record-breaking cold weather continued. In downtown Greenville, several businesses closed their doors as they appeared to be dealing with the aftermath of a broken water pipe. Byrd’s Famous Cookies on Main Street had a sign on the door saying it was closed due to flooding. Blaze Pizza, which normally opens at 11am, was closed and water was visible through the front glass on the floor inside. Plumbing crews said employees came to work to find water pouring from the door. Calls to the business went unanswered. Standing water was also seen on the corner of East North and Main streets, with water or ice forming outside several businesses. WYFF News 4 also received dozens of calls, emails and messages from people devastated in the aftermath of their frozen water pipes bursting. The Easley Fire Department alone had received more than 60 service calls this weekend involving house fires, damaged sprinklers and burst water mains, they said in a Facebook post on Monday. “We encourage business owners who haven’t been to their offices or stores this weekend to do a quick inspection today for possible water damage,” the post said. After discovering a burst pipe in a home or business, officials propose these steps: Don’t Call 911 to find the main water supply and turn it off; if you cannot, call the non-emergency number of the nearest fire department. Turn on the tap to drain any remaining water. If you are a renter, call your landlord or property manager. Try to find a water source. Finding places to rest will allow the plumber to work more efficiently. The Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority in the Low Countries also offers the following steps: If you leave town, set your thermostat to the lowest setting. Keep a slow trickle of water flowing through the faucet, which is supplied by a pipe running through an unheated or unprotected space. This will help prevent the water in the pipes from freezing. Keep kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors open to allow warm air to circulate around the ducts. BJSWSA also offers this helpful video to help homeowners find their water shutoff valves and shut them off.

Temperatures on Monday edged above the sub-zero lows set over the weekend, but problems with record-breaking cold weather continued.

In downtown Greenville, several businesses closed their doors as they appeared to deal with the aftermath of a broken water main.

Byrd’s Famous Cookies on Main Street posted a sign on the door saying it was closed due to flooding.

The Blaze Pizza, which usually opens at 11am, was closed and water was visible through the front glass on the floor inside.

Plumbing crews said employees came to work to find water pouring from the door. Calls to the company went unanswered.

Standing water was also seen on the corner of East North and Main streets, with standing water or ice forming outside several businesses.

WYFF News 4 also received dozens of calls, emails and messages from people suffering from frozen and broken water pipes.

The Easley Fire Department alone received more than 60 service calls this weekend involving house fires, damaged sprinklers and burst water pipes, the Easley Fire Department said in a Facebook post on Monday.

“We encourage business owners who haven’t been to their offices or stores this weekend to do a quick inspection today for possible water damage,” the post said.

After a home or business discovers a burst pipe, officials propose the following steps:

  • do not call 911
  • Locate the main water system and turn it off; if you cannot, call the non-emergency number for the nearest fire department.
  • Turn on the tap to drain any remaining water.
  • If you are a renter, call your landlord or property manager.
  • Try to find the source of the water. Finding the location of the break allows the plumber to work more efficiently.

The Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority of the Low Country also offers the following steps:

  • If you’re out of town, turn the thermostat all the way down.
  • Keep a slow trickle of water flowing through the faucet, which is supplied by a pipe running through an unheated or unprotected space. This will help prevent the water in the pipes from freezing.
  • Keep kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors open to allow warm air to circulate around the ducts.

BJSWSA also provides this helpful video to help homeowners find and close the water shutoff valve.

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