Frozen Water Pipes: How to Find and Prevent Them

Frozen water pipes can be a real nightmare, especially during the cold winter months. They can cause damage to your home, leave you without running water, and even lead to costly repairs.

The average household uses around 2,000 gallons of water per month, and if your pipes freeze, that water is going to expand and put a lot of pressure on the pipes.

Frozen water pipes are more likely to occur in exposed areas such as crawl spaces and unheated garages.

If you turn on the faucet in very cold weather and no water comes out—or it's slowed to a trickle—there's a good chance the pipe is blocked with ice somewhere.

Start by checking your faucets to find frozen water pipes. If water runs through all your faucets except one, the dysfunctional faucet is the location of the frozen pipe.

In a large house, it can be tricky to find the frozen pipe, so check in the most obvious areas first, like beneath pier and beam homes in drafty unfinished basements or attics and uninsulated walls.

If you have no water, presume it's the pipes in the exterior walls. Exterior walls bear most of the cold, making them the most likely location for frozen pipes.

To confirm busted pipes, search for cracks and leaks. Freezing water can cause pipes to crack from the change in pressure, usually splitting the pipe lengthwise or causing cracks in the joints.

You can also feel or tap exposed pipes to confirm which section is frozen. Find the section of the pipe with frozen water using one of the following methods:

A frozen pipe often reveals itself at a faucet. If you turn on the faucet and no water comes out, there's a good chance the pipe is blocked with ice somewhere.

Leaving the faucet dripping is a simple yet effective way to prevent pipes from freezing. Steadily moving water will keep the pipes slightly above the freezing point, and prevent them from freezing.

Running your heater at a consistent 55°F minimum, both day and night, can also help prevent pipes from freezing. This is especially important if temperatures are expected to drop below freezing.

Keeping cabinet doors open allows the heated air from the room to reach pipes inside the cabinet, which can help prevent kitchen pipes from freezing on the coldest nights.

You can also use foam insulation wrap to provide a layer of protection for pipes that run through unheated spaces. However, this will only slow the transfer of heat, and cannot prevent a pipe from freezing if the surrounding air is cold enough.

Protecting outdoor faucets by removing garden hoses and placing outdoor faucet covers over exposed faucets can also help prevent pipes from freezing.

Here's a quick checklist to help you prevent frozen pipes:

By following these simple tips, you can help prevent frozen pipes and avoid the hassle and expense of dealing with burst pipes.

If you suspect you have frozen pipes, keep your faucets open and your water turned off to prevent further damage. This will also help the thawing process by allowing the ice to run through the pipes.

A frozen pipe can be a real emergency, but there are some things you can try to thaw it yourself. First, locate the section of pipe that's frozen and use gentle heat to warm it up slowly. Avoid heating the pipes too quickly, as this can cause them to crack or melt.

If you can't locate the frozen pipe, try increasing your home's temperature above 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Open all cabinet and closet doors to help the heat reach the enclosed spaces. If you have pipes in or above the garage, use space heaters to heat up that area, but keep them away from anything flammable.

You can also try using a handheld hair dryer to heat up the pipe, but be careful not to apply too much heat in one spot. Instead, move the dryer back and forth along the pipe to thaw it evenly. You can also use heat tape, which is designed specifically for thawing frozen pipes.

If you're not sure where the frozen pipe is, you can try waiting for the temperatures to rise above freezing. Your pipes will eventually thaw on their own, and you may hear gurgling, clanging, or banging sounds as the ice begins to move.

Here are some methods for thawing frozen pipes:

Remember to be patient and gentle when thawing your pipes, as sudden or extreme changes in temperature can cause them to crack or melt.

If you suspect you have a frozen pipe, the first thing to do is turn off the main water supply to prevent further damage. If you're not in a rush, you can wait for the pipes to thaw on their own as the weather warms up.

You can tell if your pipes are frozen if you turn on the faucet and only a few drops or a trickle of water come out. This is a sign that the water inside the pipes has frozen, preventing a free flow.

Typically, it takes about 30 minutes to unfreeze a pipe, but this can vary depending on the weather, how long the pipe has been frozen, and where the pipe is located.

Shutting the water off is crucial if your faucets produce no water. Turn the main water supply off to take the pressure off the frozen pipe and prevent it from bursting.

Leaving the faucet slightly open and letting the water run can help thaw the pipe. Open the faucet attached to the frozen pipe and nearby working faucets to a trickle, as running water is much less likely to freeze.

If you need to thaw the pipe faster, you can use a hair dryer or heat gun to slowly thaw the pipe. Keep it moving and don't place the dryer directly against the pipe, as uneven or sudden heating can rupture the pipe.

You can also wrap special heat tape around long lengths of frozen pipe. This tape consists of heating elements that warm up when turned on, and it's designed specifically for frozen pipes.

Here are some methods to thaw a frozen pipe:

Temperatures outside typically need to be below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for pipes to have the potential of freezing.

If you turn on the faucet and no water comes out, or it's slowed to a trickle, there's a good chance the pipe is blocked with ice somewhere.

The first indicator of frozen pipes is that you have lost your water supply or it is flowing slower than usual, but your neighbors still have water. If your neighbors are also out of water, it could be that your water provider has cut water to the neighborhood; contact your provider for updates.

Try turning on all of your faucets. If some of them have flowing water while others don’t, you have a localized issue that is not impacting your entire plumbing system.

If all of your faucets don’t have water when you turn them on, your main service line out in your yard (carries water from your water meter at the street to your foundation) could be frozen. This will only occur in extreme cold situations, typically below 20 degrees Fahrenheit with or without windchill.

Here are some key signs to look out for if you suspect a frozen pipe:

Sewer lines can freeze, although it's very rare. Typically, only pressurized lines freeze.

Foul odors escaping from your drains can be a sign that ice is blocking the drain, so be on the lookout for that.

Your irrigation system can indeed freeze, and it's essential to take precautions to prevent damage.

You'll need to winterize your irrigation system in advance, which involves turning off the system at the main controller.

Shutting off the system at the backflow device is also a good idea, but be aware that an above-ground backflow device might be damaged in the process.

Pipes are most likely to freeze when temperatures drop to 20°F or less, and when temperatures stay below freezing for more than a few days.

If you live in an area prone to cold snaps, you know how quickly the mercury can drop. I recall one particularly harsh winter where temperatures stayed below freezing for over a week.

Pipes located in outside walls that are subject to freezing outdoor temperatures are at high risk of freezing. This is because the cold air can seep into the wall and chill the pipes from the outside.

Pipes in cabinets under sinks, especially near outside walls, are also susceptible to freezing. This is because the cold air can seep into the cabinet and chill the pipes.

Pipes in unheated crawl spaces or basements are also at risk of freezing. If you have a pipe in one of these areas, it's essential to take precautions to keep it from freezing.

Pipes near outdoor faucets (hose bibs) used to connect garden hoses are also at risk of freezing. This is because the cold water in the hose can seep into the pipe and chill it.

Frozen pipes can be a real headache, especially when it comes to perishable items. If your pipes freeze, the water inside may start to thaw, but this can take a long time and may lead to more damage.

Perishable items like food and medicine may be affected by the water shut-off that occurs when a pipe bursts. This can be a major concern for households with young children or pets, as access to clean water and medication may be limited.

If your water supply pipe does burst, turn off the building’s water valve immediately to limit water damage. This is crucial in preventing further damage to your home and its contents.

In extreme cases, you may need to discard perishable items that have been contaminated by the water shut-off. It's always better to err on the side of caution and prioritize the health and safety of your household.

Temperatures outside typically need to be below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for pipes to have the potential of freezing.

If you've lost your water supply or it's flowing slower than usual, but your neighbors still have water, it could be a sign that your pipes are frozen.

The first thing to do is turn on all of your faucets to see if some of them have flowing water while others don't, which would indicate a localized issue.

If some water is coming out, although slowly, leave it running as this can sometimes be enough to melt the ice in the line.

If all of your faucets don't have water when you turn them on, your main service line out in your yard could be frozen, typically occurring in extreme cold situations below 20 degrees Fahrenheit with or without windchill.