Frozen Pipes: Prevention and Response

The usual suspects: pipes in unheated basements, crawl spaces, garages, and attics; supply lines running along exterior walls; and outdoor fixtures and irrigation lines. Areas with harsh winters, like Michigan, and even warmer states during hard freezes, like Georgia and Illinois, see the same failure pattern when the thermometer drops for days at a time.

Before the season: insulate exposed pipes with foam sleeves, seal gaps where cold air reaches the plumbing, disconnect and drain outdoor hoses, and shut off and drain irrigation lines. During a hard freeze: let cold-sensitive faucets drip slowly, open kitchen and bathroom cabinets to let warm house air reach the pipes, and keep the thermostat at a consistent temperature, not a low setback, during extreme cold.

Know where your main shutoff valve is and test it before you need it. When a pipe bursts, that valve is the difference between a contained leak and a house full of water, and few people remember it at 2 a.m.

If the faucet gives little or no water, the line is frozen. Keep the faucet open, then warm the pipe safely with a hair dryer or towels soaked in warm water, starting near the faucet and working back. Never use an open flame, a torch, or a space heater aimed directly at the pipe.

If the pipe bursts or water appears, shut off the main valve, shut off power to wet zones from a dry location, move valuables, photograph the damage, and call a restoration company. A burst supply line releases pressurized water fast, and extraction and cavity drying should start the same day.