Quick Response
Flood, Fire, Mold Services
GET HELP FAST
30 Minute Response Time
Menu
It is that time of year: winter. During winter, frozen pipes can be a problem for many homeowners. Not only are frozen water pipes inconvenient, but the pressure built up by frozen water can cause the pipe to burst. Bursting pipes can cause serious damage to a home’s ceilings, floors, walls, furniture, etc. And, not to mention, it’s very expensive to repair this type of disaster.
If you turn on a faucet in your house and nothing comes out (or the water trickles out slowly), it is almost certain that the pipe has frozen. Upon making this discovery, you must first determine whether or not the pipe has ruptured. If the answer is yes, turn the water off immediately and contact a licensed plumber. If, however, you are lucky, and the frozen water pipe has not yet ruptured, do not wait for the inevitable. Act immediately to thaw the pipe by taking the following steps:
Note: When applying heat to a frozen pipe, you should never, ever use a blowtorch, which can cause the water in a frozen pipe to boil resulting in an explosion. In addition, you should never use a heating device with an open flame, which can present a serious risk of fire and exposure to combustion fumes.
Once the pipe begins to thaw and the water begins to run from the faucet, keep the faucet open for several minutes, allowing the ice to clear from the line. You should then turn off the faucet and check the line for leaks. If a leak is discovered you will need to turn off the main water line and either replace or patch the pipe.
While the above steps will generally work, if, after taking such steps, the pipe still remains frozen, do not take any chances and call your plumber immediately.