Why Heat is Important

Every year around October the leaves begin to turn and air begins to cool. Homes across America begin to activate their heating systems, and by November freezing temperatures can develop much of country. Why do many homes turn their heating systems on? The first reason is the keep the occupants warm, and the second reason is to keep the plumbing systems from freezing up. 

What did Phoenix Building Solutions do when the weather turned cold and the mercury dipped below freezing? They stayed the course and refused to pay their natural gas bill. By doing this the manufacturing plant remained cold, and allowed the fire protection system to begin to freeze. The first days in November when the outside temperature dipped below 15 degrees the sprinkler system froze and busted in several areas. Over several days of sub-freezing temperature the employee restrooms stopped working. Employees had to go without lavatories, and toilets until the temperature warmed enough to thaw the pipes. On December 21, 2008 the outside air temperature barely rose above 2 degrees and the entire manufacturing plant's sprinkler system froze and ruptured. All of the employees had to be sent home from work while the system drained. The next day the plant reopened without a fire protection system at all, thus placing the facility, contents, products and the employees in danger if a fire was to breakout. One could say that owners were naive enough not to comprehend that building without heat would result in a plumbing freeze, but Ed Fanning was on site Dec. 21 to sign and deliver checks. He was well aware that sprinkler system froze that day, and was well aware of previous freeze ups. It's too bad OSHA and the Fire Marshal were never notified as I believe they would have frowned upon this endangerment of lives.