Our winters can drop hard overnight, and a frozen pipe can turn into a burst pipe fast. The good news is that most freeze damage is preventable with a little prep before the first cold snap.
Where pipes freeze first
Exterior walls, crawl spaces, garages, attics, and outdoor faucets are the usual trouble spots. Any line that runs through an unheated space is at risk.
Before winter
- Disconnect garden hoses and shut off the supply to outdoor faucets. If you have shut-off valves for them inside, close those and drain the outdoor spigot.
- Insulate exposed pipes in crawl spaces, garages, and along exterior walls with foam pipe insulation.
- Know where your main water shut-off is, and make sure everyone in the house does too.
- Seal gaps and cracks near pipes where cold air can get in.
On very cold nights
- Open the cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
- Let a faucet drip slightly. Moving water is harder to freeze.
- Keep the garage door closed.
- If you're leaving town, don't turn the heat completely off. Keep the house warm enough to protect the plumbing.
If a pipe freezes
Shut off the main water, open the affected faucet, and warm the pipe slowly with a hair dryer or warm towels. Never use an open flame. If you can't find the frozen section, or you see a crack or leak, call a plumber.
If a pipe bursts
Shut off the main water right away, turn off the water heater if it's affected, and call us. Fast action limits the damage. For pipes that keep freezing or are past their best, ask us about repiping and rerouting.
Worried about a vulnerable pipe, or already dealing with a leak?
We can inspect trouble spots, replace leak-prone lines, and reroute pipes that keep freezing.
Call (970) 234-1773 Or request service online