Frozen pipes can cause damage when they occur. The good news is that with proper prevention, frozen pipes can usually be avoided.
- Insulate your pipes. Wrap pipes in insulation to protect from freezing temps. Pipes most at risk are in attics, crawl spaces, and ones that run along outside walls.
- Use caulk or insulation to seal air leaks around pipes. Air leaks are commonly found around electrical wiring, windows, doors and plumbing or air vents.
- Disconnect hoses, sprinklers, and faucets. Any water flow to outside sources should be turned off, drained to reduce those sources freezing inwards into the building’s pipes.
- Allow water to drip. Set faucets to a slow drip especially any faucets near outside walls.
- Don't adjust the thermostat. Do not set the thermostat lower than 55 degrees and keep the same setting during the day and night.
- Open cabinet doors. This will let the building’s heat to reach uninsulated pipes beneath sinks.
- Know the water shutoff valve location. If pipes freeze, you’ll want to turn it off so no water will be able to feed the leak if it bursts.
- Keep garage door closed. Especially if there are water supply lines in the garage.
How to thaw frozen pipes
If you run a faucet and there’s only a trickle, the pipe may have frozen. If a pipe bursts, turn off the main water shutoff valve, call a plumber, and file a claim. If a pipe is frozen but water is still running, and none have burst:
- Apply heat to the pipe, use a hairdryer, electric heating pad, or electric space heater on the section of pipe closest to the faucet and work towards the coldest part of the pipe. Don’t use gas or open flames.
- Run the faucet to help melt the ice in the pipe.
- Continue until full water pressure is restored and follow these steps with all faucets and their respective pipes.
- Call a plumber and file a claim. Call right away if you cannot thaw, find, or access the frozen area of pipe.