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Tag Archive: water damage

Ice, Ice, Maybe…The Impacts of Freezing Weather on Plumbing Fixtures
February 11, 2026 9:50 am Leave a Comment

It’s that time of year again. Freezing rain, flurries of snow that don’t stick around, and mornings using a spatula to scrape dreaded ice off our windshields. I’ve lived in the south most of my life, and I know the combination of excitement and dread that my compatriots and I are likely to face during the winter months. Let’s face it, we may know how to cook pulled pork, but when it comes to freezing temperatures most of us don’t have much experience! (more…)
Fire Sprinkler History and Development
April 10, 2025 11:41 am Leave a Comment
Did you know that I’m passionate about fire protection? Instead of proving it with stories recounting soakings by numerous fire hydrant, fire pump, and deluge system tests, I will share more about fire sprinklers! (Working on solidifying my fire sprinkler nerd status!)

Automatic fire sprinklers have an over 150-year history, with Henry S. Parmelee being credited with (more…)
How Long Before the Pipes Freeze?
December 7, 2021 12:58 pm Leave a Comment
An unexpected severe winter freeze will remind many people and businesses that when water in a pipe freezes, the ice will expand and burst the pipe or pipe fitting. Large losses will result from flooding when the temperatures rise. Insulation will help, but not prevent freezing. Insulation simply slows down the rate of heat loss. The time of exposure to subfreezing temperature is an important factor.

The American Society of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Handbook of Fundamentals has a short entry on the topic (Chapter 23, page 23.5-6), which gives an equation for estimating the time that it will take an insulated pipe to freeze, (more…)
Water Damage from Leaking Shower Stalls
January 24, 2018 1:53 pm Leave a Comment
Have you ever had to have a leaking shower pan for a tiled shower stall replaced, only to have a recurrence a few years later? If so, it is likely that it was not properly built and/or repaired. In most installations, the shower stall is constructed with an underlying one-piece flexible membrane of PVC that is attached to the wall studs before the backer board and wall tile is installed. No nails or screws should penetrate the membrane below the level of the curb of the shower stall. The only opening in the membrane below the curb must be the hole for the shower drain to connect to the house plumbing. The shower drain is designed to allow water on top of the membrane to flow into the drain via weep holes for that purpose. (more…)
Uninvited House Guests: Mold and Other Fungal Growths
January 21, 2016 10:29 am Leave a Comment
The wet, relatively warm weather recently experienced in the southeast has caused a high incidence of mold and other fungal growth complaints in homes and other structures. Engineers at Warren are often called upon to investigate the cause(s) of these problems. (more…)
Flood Damage to Electrical Equipment
October 8, 2015 9:38 am Leave a Comment
As a result of the recent weather, those of us in South Carolina have gained a renewed appreciation of the damage that can result from flooding. Even a few inches of flood water can result in property damage and a loss of services in addition to the immediate risk of physical harm. (more…)
A Small Water Line Leads to a Large Loss
December 22, 2014 9:51 am Leave a Comment
A large oceanfront house was custom built after two years of planning and construction. The house had three stories over an elevated foundation. Shortly after the house was completed, the owners arrived one evening and found water pouring from above when they parked in the garage beneath the living spaces. (more…)
Catastrophic Weather – Lessons Learned
June 2, 2014 10:33 am Leave a Comment
In recent years, with Hurricane Ike in Galveston, TX in 2008 and Superstorm Sandy along the New Jersey and New York coastline in 2012, we have had the opportunity to see firsthand the destructive power of storms like these. We were “boots on the ground” literally days after the initial coastal strike. The damage observed to residential and commercial structures was far reaching, diverse and some preventable. We want to share some “lessons learned” from these observations for these two CAT events. (more…)
How Long Before The Pipes Freeze?
March 18, 2014 9:47 am Leave a Comment
The unusually severe 2014 winter in the eastern United States has reminded many people and businesses that when water in a pipe freezes, the ice will expand and burst the pipe or pipe fitting. Large losses will result from flooding when the temperatures rise. Insulation will help, but not prevent freezing. Insulation simply slows down the rate of heat loss. The time of exposure to subfreezing temperature is an important factor. (more…)
Frozen Tankless Water Heater Losses
January 28, 2014 12:09 pm Leave a Comment
Recently, we have seen a number of water damage losses stemming from gas-fired and electric tankless water heaters exposed to freezing temperatures. Tankless hot water heaters have been growing in popularity and use due to their energy savings over traditional water heaters. These units are typically installed on the exterior of a home or business in areas of the country where prolonged freezing or extremely low temperatures are not common. (more…)

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