A Massachusetts homeowner started a fire when they were trying to thaw out frozen pipes on Wednesday.
The fire was at a home on Jolicouer Ave in Spencer on Wednesday when temperatures across the state were either single-digits or several degrees below zero. The homeowner was able to stop the spread of the fire by “stuffing snow in the wall,” the Spencer Fire Department wrote on Facebook.
“Please if you have frozen pipes do NOT use torches,” the fire department wrote. “This is usually the results.”
Instead, the fire department suggested using hair dryers to thaw out frozen pipes.
But don’t leave the hair dyer running by itself, E.R. Plumbing Services warns.
“While a hair dryer is our preferred solution for thawing frozen pipes, you still need to stay with it,” the website states. “Hold the hair dryer and move it up and down (don’t leave it on one place).”
The plumbing service also suggests using a cookie sheet to “reflect the warm air to all sides of the pipe.”
In the end, State Farm warned, you might have to call a plumber.
“If you turn on your faucets and nothing comes out, leave the faucets turned on and contact your plumber,” the website reads.
