While there’s not much that can be done to prevent the issue, frozen and broken pipes caused headaches for home owners on Sunday and Monday when the mercury dropped to -7.5 degrees on both days.
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It’s also brought about plenty of work for Bathurst plumbers, who have had to work overtime to fix broken pipes.
Bathurst plumber Geoff Bennett said the freezing conditions have kept him busy repairing broken pipes.
“There’s not much that can be done to stop [the freezing of pipes] but people need to check if none of their pipes have broken,” he said.
“When it’s been really cold, make sure you take a couple of minutes before you head off to work and go for a lap around the house and make sure all the pipes are fine.
“If the pipes break and you don’t know about it, you’re going to have to fork out a big bill for water.
“I’ve even heard of cases were sprinkler systems have popped because of the cold weather.”
Mr Bennett recommended wrapping external pipes in old blankets or hessian bags to avoid pipes breaking.
And while older home’s are more susceptible to broken pipes because they lack sufficient freezing protection, houses under construction also have a similar issue.
Plastic connectors are fitted at the end of pipes in houses that under constructed to control water pressure.
However, a home in Eglinton that Mr Bennett had been working on had some of its connectors break in the freezing conditions.
Luckily he was made aware of the break before too much water had been lost.
“If people see a house under construction or one already built with a broken pipe, either turn off the water if they can or call the builder, who will then notify the plumber,” he explained.
The freezing weather has also caused a problem for windscreen companies.
“We’re flat strap right now,” Bathurst Auto Glass owner Bill Denmead said.
“It tends to be like this when it gets really cold and really hot.”
More freezing cold days are expected for Bathurst in the coming days, with the mercury predicted to hit below freezing again on Saturday (-2), Sunday (-4) and Monday (-3).
Don’t use boiling water: Tips for a frozen windscreen
With the mercury hitting a low of -7.5 degrees on both Sunday and Monday, many Bathurst residents woke to find their vehicles covered in a thick layer of ice.
Bathurst Auto Glass owner Bill Denmead warned motorists to not use boiling water to clear the ice.
“Use lukewarm water to clear the ice because boiling water will crack the screen,” he explained.
“Another tip for motorists is to use their EFTPOS card or credit card to scrape the ice off because they won’t scratch the screen.”
Mr Denmead also recommended covering the windscreen with an old sheet or blanket to stop frost from forming.
He also said it’s best to get cracks and chips in the windscreen fixed as soon as possible.
“If water goes into the crack and freezes, it’ll crack the windscreen,” he said.
