A slow drain rarely shows up out of nowhere. In most homes, it starts as a small change you barely notice: the kitchen sink takes a few extra seconds to clear, the shower backs up a little during a long rinse, or the bathroom sink gurgles when you run the water. In Massachusetts, those “small” signs matter because they often turn into weekend emergencies at the worst possible time. Cold snaps can expose weak spots in older plumbing. Heavy rain or snowmelt can overwhelm alread

Winters in Belmont , Newton , Lexington , and Cambridge are cold, long, and unpredictable. One week feels mild and the next brings a sudden freeze that pushes your plumbing system to its limits. Frozen pipes, burst lines, backed-up drains, and water heater failures all tend to hit when homeowners least expect them. “Winter is when we see some of the worst damage,” says David de la Roca, owner of Rhino Rooter. “A pipe freezes overnight, and by morning the homeowner has water p