Water pipes burst amid Seattle-area cold snap; some schools cancel classes

Amid some of the coldest days in over a decade, the region’s water pipes have been under pressure.

The Seattle Fire Department reported Monday it had responded to more than 150 water leaks since Friday. A water damage repair company has responded to more than 150 homes and businesses experiencing flooding after pipes burst.

Since 8 a.m. Sunday, Eastside Fire & Rescue crews had responded to 312 water line breaks in its service area, the agency said on X Monday night.

And now some schools have canceled classes.

Wilder Elementary and Dickinson Elementary/Explorer Community School in the Lake Washington School District canceled classes for Tuesday, blaming fire sprinkler systems that froze and burst in classrooms, causing flooding. Both schools had functioning heat. The district blames “the age and design” of the sprinkler systems for the freezing.

Similarly, Glenwood Elementary and Skyline Elementary in the Lake Stevens School District also canceled classes for Tuesday because of burst water pipes.

A handful of other schools in the area also closed Tuesday in the Issaquah, Edmonds and Shoreline School Districts. In each of these cases, individual schools were closed, with the rest of the schools in the district operating normally.

The Seattle area didn’t warm much above 20 degrees over the weekend, as a northern cold front ushered in a dangerous freeze. 

The chill put severe weather shelters across the county over capacity, leaving some people experiencing homelessness with nowhere to sleep inside. And the freeze stressed infrastructure, both new and old. As water freezes into ice, it expands, straining pipes that typically carry liquids.

Seattleites have also spotted flooding in a local grocery store, a bar, homes and a hospital. Swedish First Hill reported flooding in the East Tower impacting some patient rooms. Up north, the Stanwood-Camano School district also saw several burst pipes over the weekend.

“I’ve been in the business for 23 years and this is probably the second or third busiest (winter),” said Rich Rye, director of marketing for 1-800 Water Damage of Seattle. “And in such a short period of time.”

Instead of small cracks or leaks, during the latest cold snap, he said his company has seen more obvious leaks causing more damage much more quickly. Cleanup from these types of bursts can run anywhere from $2,000 to repair a garage ceiling, to up to $30,000 to repair leaks that affect kitchens. Typically, insurance companies will cover these repairs, he said. 

If only a trickle is coming out of a faucet, the pipe may be frozen. Frozen pipes can be treated with towels soaked in hot water around the pipe, or electric heating pads wrapped around the pipe. Running water through the pipe will help more ice melt.

If a water pipe breaks, Seattle Public Utilities customers can call 206-386-1800 and the first available crew will be dispatched to turn off the water at the meter. 

To help prevent frozen pipes, Seattle Public Utilities recommends wrapping pipes with tape and insulating materials from hardware stores, following manufacturers’ installation instructions. Outdoor hoses should be drained and removed, and homeowners can caulk around pipes where they enter homes.

Pipes exposed to drafts from open foundation vents are most at risk of freezing or splitting during cold weather. The vents can be closed off by putting cut pieces of wood or foam blocks into the vent openings during the winter months.