Columbia Gas Starts Offering Advice On Preventing Frozen Pipes

ANDOVER, MA -- Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, the utility trying to restore gas service to thousands of homes and businesses that have been without heat or hot water since the September 13 gas explosions, took to social media over the weekend and into Monday with advice on how residents can prevent their pipes from freezing. The utility recommended that people leave water slowly dripping from taps, open cabinets under sinks, disconnect outdoor hoses and keep garages closed if there are pipes inside.

Last month the company said it would miss a deadline to fully restore service to all of its customers in Andover, North Andover and Lawrence. The new deadline is December 19. Temperatures were seasonable this weekend and are expected to continue to fall in the next few days, with the National Weather Service saying the region could get its first snow later this week.

So far, the utility has not

recommended that residents take longer-term precautions to prevent freezing pipes. Nor has it recommended that residents fully winterize homes for a winter without heat. While the company maintains it is on schedule to meet the new, Dec. 19 deadline, some restoration work -- including the permanent replacement of appliances -- will continue after the winter and into 2019.

Never miss another local news story: Get free local news alerts right to your inbox.

Patch file photo.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).