MPT Restoration & Mitigation Services

01/30/2026

With temperatures expected to be zero or below zero, the National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook.

As the temperatures continue to drop into the single digits Friday 🥶, water inside pipes can/will freeze and expand. If water expands too much, it can crack the pipe, and also cause an ice blockage which in turns causes water pressure to increase further down the pipe. The damage often goes unnoticed until the weather warms up and the water thaws thus causing pipes to burst.

The pipes most at risk are those that are not protected along their entire length by the building insulation or insulation on the actual pipe itself.

Here are some warning indicators to look out for that tell you that you may be dealing with a broken pipe:

Sounds That Can Indicate Broken Pipes
• Bubbling Noises: When you flush the toilet or use the sink, air that cannot escape to the sewer lines will create a bubbling noise. This can be a sign that there is a pipe broken, and it should be inspected.
• Whistling Noises: If a pipe gets dented, it can create a segment of pipe that is too small for the volume of water that needs to travel through it and when it does it can emit a whistling sound. If a whistling sound suddenly occurs, it should be checked out, as soon as possible. Increased water pressure on compromised pipes can cause the pipe to burst.
• Banging or Clanking: If loose pipes bump into one another, a clanking noise will be the result. Whether due to loose washers or other worn parts, loose pipes can cause tension that can lead to holes or leaks.
If you hear any of these noises, have your pipes inspected.

Sights & Smells That Can Indicate Broken Pipes
• Unpleasant Odor: If drains, sinks, or any area of your property has an unpleasant odor, especially on the lowest floor, it can be a sign that a pipe is backed up or broken. The odor is a sign that sewage is not being successfully transported from your pipes to the municipal sewer lines.
• Sink Holes: If you have sink holes, or any unexplained soggy or wet areas in your lawn, there may be a break in the main pipes underground.
• Puddles: If water is accumulating anywhere in your property, especially under sinks or on floors, a pipe may be broken. Some may be easy to detect and see, such as pipes under the sink or the water supply to the toilet, but others may be behind walls or ceilings.
• Damp Drywall: If the drywall is damp anywhere in your property, or if there are wet rings on the ceiling, this is a sure indicator of a broken or burst pipe.

If you see or smell anything it is best to have it checked out as quickly as possible.

Other Signs of a Broken Pipe
• Persistent Clogs: Whether it is a clogged drain or a slow-flushing toilet, any problem that is persistent is an indicator that something is wrong. Broken pipes and blockage are not the only reasons these conditions will exist, but they should not be ruled out.
• Frequent Backups: If basement drains, laundry tubs, or other drains have frequent backups or there are water stains around any of the drains and you have not used them, this can be an indicator that the sewage lines are broken or blocked.
• No Water: If you turn on the faucet, laundry machine, or dishwasher and no water comes out or the pressure is very low, pipes may be frozen, or there may be a broken pipe underground. There are many new technologies to repair underground pipes that have broken without digging them up.
• Poor Water Quality: If the water suddenly turns color or begins to smell, this can be an indicator that the pipes have begun to corrode or otherwise become contaminated or deteriorated.
• High Water Bill: If your water bill is significantly higher than usual without any unusual activity, it may be an indicator of a broken pipe. Physical indicators such as puddles, odors, or damp drywall will usually show themselves first, but in cases when breaks remain undetected, escalated bills can help detect problems.

What To Do If Your Pipes Freeze
• Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
• Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.
• Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you cannot thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
• Check all other faucets in your property to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

Addressing problems with the water supply or drainage quickly is important to help prevent mold growth. Preventing problems from occurring or preventing them from getting worse will help keep your property safe and healthy for everyone.

If you need my services, I am a call away 24/7 @516-532-5393
Maureen
MPT My Personal Touch LLC
Restoration and Mitigation Services

01/30/2026

WINTER STORM UPDATE #1

An Extreme Cold Watch will also be in effect from Saturday evening through Monday morning for wind chills near or below zero degrees.

Currently, the forecast is calling for the possibility of at least 3 inches of snow across the county this weekend. Higher totals could be possible. The accumulation forecast will continue to change.

Very cold temperatures will settle across our area this weekend as well, and dangerous marine conditions will persist due to the storm developing offshore.

Safety tips:
- Complete your weekend errands today and tomorrow if possible so you can avoid travel as snow starts to fall
- Don't overestimate your vehicle's ability to drive in snow
- Ensure you have safe and proper ways to heat your home
- Dress appropriately for cold weather
- Take frequent breaks if you have to shovel or move snow

Remain weather aware.

01/30/2026

What makes a storm a bomb cyclone?
Bomb cyclone is a term given to a rapidly strengthening storm that fulfills one important criterion. Generally, pressure must drop 24 millibars (a unit of pressure) within 24 hours.

However, that benchmark is also based on the latitude of the storm. So, the millibar requirement can change depending on where the storm forms.

Its authors, MIT meteorologists Fred Sanders and John Gyakum, built upon work by Swedish meteorology researcher Tor Bergeron, who had initially defined “rapidly deepening” storms as those that met the 24 millibars-in-24 hours criterion.

But Bergeron was way up in Scandinavia, where storms strengthen much quicker because of the latitude.

Sanders and Gyakum adjusted the ground rules to vary based on latitude. They added the term “bomb” because of the explosive power that these storms derive from rapid pressure drops.

Why 60 degrees? That’s the latitude where Bergeron was when he developed the initial scale.

To calculate the pressure drop needed for a bomb cyclone, you take the sine of the latitude where the low pressure is located and divide it by the sine of 60 degrees (and you thought you would never use trigonometry).

Once you do the calculation, multiply that result by 24, and that is the number of millibars the storm’s pressure must drop to officially qualify it as a bomb cyclone at the given latitude

TIPS:
Stay home and off the roads if you can to avoid icy accidents. It might be a good idea to prep your emergency winter kit with essentials, including power banks and at least three days of shelf-stable food if you are cut off from roads or experience power outages during the storm.

Assemble layers of waterproof clothes that trap in heat in case you must bundle up without heat. Take time to stock up on gas, too, because you may be unable reach the station for a few days due to snow levels or need to stay warm in a stranded vehicle.

Your home needs protection, too. Make sure your pipes don't freeze to avoid thousands of dollars in water damage. Gather household items like table salt and vinegar to help you melt the ice on your driveway. And when you wake up to mounds of snow outside, make sure you're shoveling safely to prevent injury.

Maureen Farrelly Marsala

01/17/2026

Hit me up for pipes bursting! On call 24/7! Always available to help!

Bundle up, New York. A blast of Arctic air is moving in, and wind chills could make the city feel as cold as or colder than parts of Alaska early next week.

Expect biting winds, single-digit real feel temperatures at night, and daytime highs struggling to escape the teens and 20s as a powerful polar vortex pushes south.

Gloves, hats, scarves, layers… don’t skip any of them. Winter is not playing around ❄️🧤🧣

12/27/2025

Fielding claims all weekend, so here are some tips to help prevent pipes from freezing:

Frozen pipes could be a big problem and can be prevented.
In addition to conducting regular winter home maintenance, protecting pipes from freezing is important. Even a tiny crack in a pipe can spew hundreds of gallons of water causing flooding, damage to your furnace and serious structural damage. It also presents an immediate potential for mold.

Frozen water pipes are a problem in both cold and warmer climates, affecting families each winter. It can occur in homes with both plastic and copper pipes. By taking the preventative measures below, you may help reduce the risk of frozen water pipes and the resulting property damage.

Tips to help prevent pipes from freezing:

~The three central causes of frozen pipes are quick drops in temperature, poor insulation and thermostats set too low. You can prepare your home during the warmer months.

***Insulate pipes***
~ Pipe insulation in your home's crawl spaces and attic helps even if you live in a climate where freezing is uncommon. Exposed pipes are most susceptible to freezing. Remember, the more insulation you use, the better protected your pipes will be.
~ Use heat tape or heat cables. Heat tape or thermostatically controlled heat cables can be used to wrap pipes. Be sure to use products approved by an independent testing organization, such as Underwriters Laboratories Inc., and only for the use intended (exterior or interior). Closely follow all manufacturer's installation and operation instructions.
~ Seal leaks. Locate and thoroughly seal leaks that allow cold air inside. Look for air leaks around electrical wiring, dryer vents and pipes, and use caulk or insulation to keep the cold out.
~ Secure outdoor hoses, valves and faucets. Before winter hits, disconnect garden hoses and, if possible, use an indoor valve to shut off and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets. This reduces the chance of freezing in the short span of pipe just inside the house.
~ Let water drip. A trickle of hot and cold water might be all it takes to keep your pipes from freezing. Let warm water drip overnight when temperatures are cold, preferably from a faucet on an outside wall.
~ Adjust the thermostat. Keeping your thermostat set at the same temperature during both day and night also reduces the risk of frozen pipes. During extreme cold, this also helps reduce the strain on the furnace.
~ Open cabinet doors. This allows heat to get to un-insulated pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls.

Ways to help avoid frozen pipes while on vacation
**Always be sure to winterize your home thoroughly. Before you leave, take measures to protect your home so you can enjoy the time away, rather than worry about pipes and security. A few things to remember include:

~ Check the thermostat. Set the thermostat in your house no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit (12 degrees Celsius). Also be sure to replace the battery in your thermostat.
~ Ask for help. Ask a friend or neighbor to check your house daily to make sure it's warm enough to prevent freezing.
~ Shut off the water. Shut off and drain the water system. Be aware that if you have a fire protection sprinkler system in your house, it may be deactivated when you shut off the water.

What to do if pipes freeze
Pipes do not always burst when frozen. There are a few things to keep in mind:
~ Call a plumber if needed. If you turn on your faucets and nothing comes out, leave the faucets turned on and call a plumber.
~ Avoid use of appliances near water.
~ Do not use electrical appliances in areas of standing water. You could be electrocuted.
~ Avoid applying flames to thaw pipes. Never try to thaw a pipe with a torch or other open flame because it could cause a fire hazard. Water damage is preferable to burning down your house!
~ Use a hair dryer as a possible heat source (with caution). You may be able to thaw a frozen pipe using a hair dryer — again, make sure you are not in standing water. Start by warming the pipe as close to the faucet as possible, working toward the coldest section of pipe.
~ Shut off the water supply. If your water pipes have already burst, turn off the water at the main shutoff valve in the house. **Make sure everyone in your family knows where the water shutoff valve is and how to open and close it. **Be sure to leave the water faucets turned on.
MPT Restoration & Mitigation Services

11/17/2025

The next 2 weeks I’m busy delivering Thanksgiving non perishable food, household items, gifts & clothing to people! Please try to help in any way you can! It will make you feel good to help someone in need! Thanks to everyone!! 🍁🦃🍁🙏🏻

10/31/2025

PSA: Many of you don’t realize my 2nd career has been in insurance as a broker & restoration person. The fall & winter are our busiest seasons and I’m here 24/7 to help you. Call 516-532-5393; Calls are returned within 10 minutes! Fires, hurricanes, windstorms, burst pipes, sewer backup (make sure you have this coverage on your policy), water damage (seepage is not covered), mold… you name it, we do it!! We can come inspect at no charge! We handle both Homes and Businesses. **Just because you have insurance doesn’t necessarily mean you should file a claim!! Call us for an inspection*** You will see my biz advice from now forward thru the winter. Don’t discount some of the advice! ofMPT Restoration & Mitigation Services! 🏠 🔥 ⛈️ ☔️ 🥶 💨 🌧️

01/03/2025

It’s that time of the year again with frigid temperatures dropping into the low teens and/or single digits with the WCF. While we know to bundle ourselves up to keep warm many people forget to check to make sure their pipes stay warm as well.

Ice forming in a pipe does not typically cause a break where the ice blockage occurs. Rather, following a complete ice blockage in a pipe, continued freezing and expansion inside the pipe causes water pressure to increase downstream -- between the ice blockage and a closed faucet at the end. Usually the pipe bursts where little or no ice has formed.

Here are some tips to help avoid this common cause of winter property damage:

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes
~ Pipes that have frozen in the past or near exterior walls are obvious candidates for special attention.
~ Insulate areas where vulnerable pipes are located.
~ When insulation isn't enough, consider pipe wrappings embedded with electrical coils (heat tape) that provide an outside source of heat.
~ Remove hoses from outside yard faucets. The faucets can't drain properly with a hose attached and will freeze and break if the hose is left attached.
~ During severe cold weather, resist the urge to lower your thermostat to save money while you are gone for the day.
~ Open the doors to kitchen and bathroom cabinets under your sinks so heat from the room will help warm the pipes.
~ Running water does not freeze very readily. During severe cold weather, keep a stream of water trickling out of faucets or spouts attached to vulnerable pipes.
~ If you have a sprinkler system, drain all outdoor pipes and turn off the water supply to the system.
~ Know where your main water emergency shut-off valve is located.

Winterizing Your Home If You'll Be Away For An Extended Time
~ Turn off the water supply at the main shutoff valve by the street.
~ Remove garden hoses from outside faucets and open these faucets to drain them.
~ Drain the water heater. Turn off the pilot light on gas water heaters and be sure to turn off the electricity to electric water heaters before you drain them.
~ Use an air compressor to blow any trapped water from the water pipes. Open all faucets and leave them open. This will help keep condensation from freezing and bursting the water lines.
~ Flush all toilets (to empty the tank) and every faucet (to drain water from pipes) in the home, including outdoor faucets.
~ Empty all toilet bowls by siphoning or bailing and sponging. Pour a mixture of food grade antifreeze and water into all toilet bowls and traps of all sinks, showers and bathtubs. Don't drain these traps. The water in them keeps sewer gases out of your house.
~ If your water supply is from a well, switch off the pump and drain it along with the above-ground pump lines and the tank.

What To Do If A Pipe Freezes
~ To prevent a frozen pipe from bursting, open the faucet it supplies with water. Then add heat to the area where the pipe is located.
~ Turn off the water supply to that line.
~ If a pipe does burst, immediately turn off the water to your home.
~ Know where your main water emergency shut-off valve is located.

CALL MAUREEN AT MPT AT (516) 532-5393 24/7 FOR ASSISTANCE AND WE CAN HELP REPAIR AND RESTORE YOUR HOUSE OR BUSINESS.

02/12/2024

New forecast for snow on LI & NYC! It doesn’t hurt to get those shovels & salt ready! Stay safe!

01/14/2024

Be safe!

09/29/2023

Absolutely insane storm! Hope everyone is ok! Maureen Farrelly Marsala