How Can Gas Pipes Freeze? Here’s What Happened to 80 Pittsfield Homes This Week

About 80 Berkshire Gas customers near Onota Lake lost service Wednesday morning when bitter cold temperatures caused their gas lines to freeze - leaving families without heat during one of the coldest stretches of the winter season here in western Massachusetts.

But wait - doesn't natural gas stay in a gaseous form even in extreme cold? Yes, it does. Natural gas itself won't freeze until temperatures hit an astounding -296°F. So what's actually freezing in these "frozen gas lines"? I had never heard of gas lines freezing.

It's the water, not the gas

The problem is moisture. Even small amounts of water vapor in gas pipelines can freeze when temperatures plummet, creating ice blockages that shut off the flow of gas to your home.

Gas companies work hard to remove moisture before gas enters the system through dehydration processes, but some water vapor is always present - especially in older distribution systems. When we see sustained below-freezing temperatures for days on end, that moisture can freeze at critical points like meters, regulators, and service connections.

Hydrate crystals make it worse

There's also something called "hydrate formation" - when water molecules combine with the natural gas itself to form ice-like crystals. These can form at temperatures well above normal freezing (sometimes as warm as 60°F under certain pressure conditions) and completely block gas flow. -sciencedirect.com

Why the restoration takes so long

Berkshire Gas said crews need to individually access each affected customer's meter and all gas-fired appliances to safely restore service. That's because you can't just flip a switch and turn everyone back on - each home needs to be checked to ensure there are no safety issues when gas service returns. -berkshireeagle.com

The city opened a warming center at the Ralph J. Froio Senior Center for affected residents. If you're experiencing a gas outage, call Berkshire Gas Customer Care at 800-292-5012.