Tahoe Vista sits at 6,250 feet elevation where winter temperatures regularly drop into single digits and can reach as low as -16°F. These extreme conditions create expansion and contraction cycles that stress pipes beyond what they face in milder climates.
Many properties here are vacation homes that sit vacant during the coldest months. Without consistent heating, pipes in crawl spaces, attics, and exterior walls are more vulnerable to freezing. Even a few hours of below-freezing temperatures can cause stagnant water to freeze and burst pipes.
The combination of extreme cold, altitude, and vacant properties creates a perfect storm. During one particularly harsh winter, over 60 homes in the area suffered significant water damage from frozen pipes, with some properties experiencing over 100,000 gallons of water loss.