By CHRISTOPHER SMITH

Almost a week of temperatures dipping below freezing has kept hardwares and repairmen busy as area residents dealt with frozen pipes and other resulting issues.

“We have been ridiculously busy lately because of the weather,” Janice Sebastian, an employee at Marvin’s, said. “One item that the people need is any type of insulation that can cover your pipes to make sure they do not bust.”

Busted pipes can cause several problems such as wasting hundreds of gallons of water per day, destroying floors, causing water damage, wood rotting, and electrical shortages. Electrical problems can also occur during severe cold weather.

These problems have been causing plumbing and electrical professionals to work extra hard during the cold weather.

“Your water heater is another thing to worry about when it gets this cold. Cold temperatures can cause the metal to expand and contract and if you have an older water heater then that can cause cracks and leaks,” Sebastian said.

Having a space heater, though it can be very beneficial, can be very dangerous if not tended to and monitored in this cold weather.

Wal-Mart has been sold out of hardware for cold weather such as heat lamps, insulation tape, and foam sticks for the past two weeks.

“We have had at least eight people a night come and try to get these items, but we have been run down on all the items,” Ronald Thorn, an employee from Wal-Mart, said. “One thing that my wife and I have started doing is letting a small stream of water run through the pipes to make sure there is running water.”

Temperatures were expected to dip to 25 last night; 27 tonight, and to hover around freezing on Saturday night, although daytime temps have gotten progressively warmer this week.

Highs today will reach 50, and the warming trend will continue until Thursday, when the daytime high should be 67.