Colorado
Here’s how to prevent (and thaw) frozen pipes as arctic cold blast hits Colorado
Coloradans bundling up ahead of this weekend’s arctic blast should also plan on keeping their homes cozy, particularly for water pipes that can freeze and burst during subzero cold snaps.
Forecasters expect temperatures to drop well below freezing Saturday in the mountains, Front Range and Eastern Plains before plunging into the single and negative digits for most of Sunday and Monday, but people can prevent frozen pipes by taking a few simple steps now, according to Denver Water, the American Red Cross and metro plumbing experts.
High 5 Plumbing usually gets triple the amount of calls because of frozen or burst pipes during and after a cold snap, said company president Levi Torres.
“The best preventative is to start getting ready before the freeze hits,” Torres said.
Before the cold weather hits
Torres recommends bumping up the thermostat to be as warm as is comfortable before the freeze sets in to prevent the chill from entering your home.
“It’s better to pay a little extra in gas this week than to pay for property damage from a burst pipe,” he said.
Denver Water officials recommend setting the thermostat above 65 degrees if homeowners plan to leave home for several days.
Folks should also know where the main water shut-off valve is in their home. For most single-family homes, it’s in the basement, the crawl space or a wall facing the street, according to the agency.
Water pipes in unheated basements or along exterior walls should be insulated against the cold, either with insulation or products like pipe sleeves or heat tape. Even a few layers of newspaper wrapped around pipes can provide protection, according to the Red Cross.
During the deep freeze
When the cold weather sets in, people should open doors near pipes to expose them to warm air, including kitchen and bathroom cabinets and access doors.
Folks should also crack both a hot and cold faucet to keep water trickling, ideally in a place that’s farthest from where water enters your home.
“A very slow drip will keep water molecules moving, reducing the chance that pipes will freeze. Place a bucket underneath the faucet so the water can be saved for other household uses,” Denver Water officials said.
People should take preventative steps even if they’ve never had a problem with frozen pipes, Torres said.
“Every year your home gets older, the insulation gets older and it doesn’t keep your home as warm as it used to,” he said. “It’s best to practice these things even if you’ve never had a problem so you don’t wake up with a problem.”
Keeping the thermostat set at the same temperature during the day and night can also prevent frozen pipes, according to the Red Cross.
How to locate a frozen pipe
If you wake up to the unpleasant surprise of little or no water coming out of the faucet during a cold snap, there’s still time to avert disaster.
It’s not always easy to tell which pipes are frozen, but people can usually narrow it down based on where water is running in their home and where it’s not, Torres said.
If every water fixture is sluggish or dry, there’s a good chance the pipes are frozen near the main water intake, Torres said. Exterior walls are also more likely to have frozen pipes.
If you can’t figure out which pipe is frozen, call a licensed plumber.
How to thaw frozen pipes
Thawing frozen pipes is a balance of acting quickly and carefully because pipes warmed too fast can break, Denver Water officials said.
Try to shut off the water valve, but keep the faucet open while you warm up the frozen pipe so water starts running as it melts, which will help it melt more.
Use a hair dryer, an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe or a portable space heater (at a safe distance) to thaw the pipe, or wrap it in towels soaked in hot water, according to the Red Cross.
Don’t use any device with an open flame, like a blowtorch, kerosene/propane heater or charcoal stove.
Keep warming the pipe until there’s full water pressure and check all other faucets for possible frozen pipes. If you can’t thaw the pipe, call a plumber.
What to do if your pipes burst
If the worst has already happened, shut off the water at the main valve and, if needed, turn off the electricity in that part of your home and call a plumber.
If your basement is flooded, do not wade through the water until the electricity is turned off. Call an electrician if you can’t reach the electricity on your own, according to State Farm. Contact your gas provider to see if the flooding has impacted your water heater or furnace in case they need to turn off your gas.
Water damage caused by burst pipes is likely covered by homeowner or renter’s insurance and may include reimbursement for a hotel stay if your home is uninhabitable, according to the Colorado Division of Insurance.
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Colorado
Colorado mother says Lakewood crash killed son, left 2 of her children critically injured as driver is arrested
A mother is grieving after a crash in the Denver metro area last weekend left her son brain-dead and two of her other children fighting for their lives.
Lakewood police say 22-year-old Andrew Logan Miller has been arrested in connection with the crash, which happened Dec. 6 around 7:30 p.m. near Kipling Parkway and West 6th Avenue.
Police say Miller was driving an SUV southbound on Kipling Parkway at a high rate of speed when it collided with a bus carrying a wrestling team from Central High School, which is located in Grand Junction in Mesa County.
Sixteen people were taken to hospitals.
Among the injured were three siblings who were riding inside the SUV.
On Friday, their mother, Suleyma Gonzalez, identified them as Julio Gonzalez, 18, Analelly Gonzalez, 17, and Christopher Gonzalez, 14.
Analelly and Christopher remain in critical condition. Julio will never wake up.
“I didn’t want to believe it, until they had to do the second testing where they didn’t find blood going through his brain,” she said. “My other two are in comas.”
Gonzalez said doctors ultimately declared Julio brain-dead.
She describes her children as disciplined students and ROTC members with plans for the future.
“Two of my kids were going to graduate this year,” she said. “No drugs. No alcohol. They were good kids.”
Gonzalez confirmed that Miller, who was driving the SUV at the time of the crash, was her daughter’s boyfriend.
“I know he loved my daughter,” she said. “I don’t think he did this on purpose or intentionally. It was an accident.”
Police say the investigation is ongoing, but believe speed played a major role in the crash.
Miller was arrested Wednesday night and is facing multiple charges, including:
• Vehicular assault (7 counts)
• Speeding 40 mph or more over the limit
• Reckless driving
• Child abuse (2 counts)
• Reckless endangerment
“My kids know when you get in somebody’s car, there’s always a risk. Always,” she said.
Julio’s organs will be donated. He’s on life support, while the hospital searches for matches.
“He wanted to give to the world,” she said. “Now that I can’t get him back, we want to give life to somebody else.”
Miller is currently being held in the Denver County Jail and is awaiting transfer to the Jefferson County Jail. His bond and court appearance have not yet been announced.
Lakewood police say the investigation remains active.
Gonzalez, a single mother of five, says her focus now is on her surviving children and getting clarity.
“I just want answers.”
DENVER, Colo. (KKTV) – The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced Thursday a lawsuit against the Colorado Secretary of State for failure to produce state voter information.
Secretary of State Jena Griswold claims the DOJ sent a “broad” request for the voter registration rolls on May 12.
Griswold says her office complied with the request and “shared the publicly available data consistent with applicable law.” However, the lawsuit against Griswold says that her office did not respond to the letter.
Griswold sent a letter in November signed by several Secretaries of State to the DOJ and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requesting clarification on how the data would be used, but she claims neither replied to the questions in the letter.
The lawsuit goes on to allege that DOJ attorney Eric Neff followed up by emailing Secretary Griswold on Dec. 1, requesting Colorado’s Statewide Voter Registration list.
Griswold said this request asked the office to share unredacted voter data, including a voter’s full name, date of birth, residential address, and complete state driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.
Griswold responded by email on Dec. 3, stating, “We received your request. We will not be producing unredacted voter files or signing the MOU,” the complaint alleges.
The lawsuit cites the Civil Rights Act, which gives the United States Attorney General the power to demand the production, inspection, and analysis of the statewide voter registration lists.
The DOJ is requesting a judge to declare that Griswold violated the Civil Rights Act and to order her to provide the current electronic copy of Colorado’s statewide voter registration list.
Griswold’s office released the following statement:
The DOJ released the following statement regarding the lawsuit:
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