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Toronto experiences record breaking temperatures

December 27th, 2017  |  Canadian Business

Thursday morning saw temperatures that broke a 57-year-old record in the city of Toronto. Temperatures dipped below a frigid -22C°, surpassing 1960’s record of -18.9C°.

"It's basically all across the country that the cold weather is entrenched, and it's not going away quickly," said Peter Kimbell, warning preparedness meteorologist at Environment Canada. "In Ontario we don't see an end to this cold until at least the end of the first week of January.”

An extreme cold warning has been put in place for the Toronto and surrounding area. This warning may last a few days, and according to Toronto Water, this can pose an issue to pipes, causing them to freeze and burst. The city put out some suggestions as to how best to prevent your pipes from bursting, and what to do in the even that they freeze.

How to reduce the chances of your pipes bursting:

  • Leaving a tap slightly open for a very thin stream of water.
  • Insulating pipes that are outside or exposed to an uninsulated wall with foam pipe covers.
  • Opening kitchen, bathroom and laundry cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate around the plumbing.
  • Turning off the main valve and opening the taps to drain water if leaving for a lengthy stretch. 

What to do if your pipes freeze:

  • Turning on a tap in the basement, preferably the cold water faucet in the laundry room.
  • Using a blow dryer to warm the frozen pipe for one to two hours.
  • Wrapping a warm towel around a frozen pipe.
  • Patience — the thawing process could take up to six hours depending on the extent of freezing.