The weather has turned chilly here in the Upstate lately, so let’s talk about frozen pipes. Frozen pipes can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare during the colder months. The danger of having frozen pipes goes beyond not preventing water flow — there’s a huge risk of bursting if you don’t handle them quickly. A burst pipe can cause massive property damage, costing you thousands of dollars in repairs.
Fortunately, having a little knowledge can be a powerful thing. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as they say.
To understand how to prevent burst pipes, we first need to understand how and why they freeze.
How Pipes Freeze
The colder months make your pipes especially prone to freezing. For many reasons, many people don’t really think about their pipes, and many folks are surprised and upset when frozen pipes disable their plumbing system or even when a pipe bursts and causes flooding. Here are some common culprits that can make your pipes susceptible to freezing.
- Temperatures of 20 degrees or lower: While it’s a known fact that water freezes at 32 degrees, the water inside your pipes is more protected than the water outside it. For water in your pipes to freeze, the temperatures outside have to dip below freezing. In many cases, frozen pipes happen when the outside temp is 20 or below.
- Unheated interior spaces: Spots such as your attic, crawl space, or even your basement commonly have pipes in them, but they’re not kept warm by your home’s heating system. These areas are where pipes burst most often.
- Exterior walls: Pipes found in the outer walls of your home are most susceptible to the cold, and insufficient insulation or cracks in your walls can let cold air in.
- Poor insulation: As you probably already know, insulation protects from the cold. If you don’t have proper insulation, your pipes are at great risk of freezing.
- Drafty areas: You may be surprised to know that wind chill can be a big factor in freezing pipes. If your attic or crawl space is drafty, there’s a greater chance of your pipes freezing.
Preventing Your Pipes from Freezing
We may not be superheroes who can stop the weather, but there are some precautions you can take to avoid freezing pipes.
- Seal cracks in exterior walls: Make sure to pay attention to service lines, such as TV or internet cables, and where they enter your home.
- Add insulation to unheated spaces: This can include your attic or crawl space, and doing so could potentially save your pipes.
- Open your cabinets beneath your sink: This lets warm air circulate.
- Insulate the pipes: Wrap exposed pipes with heating tape or pipe insulation.
- Keep the heat up: If you’re traveling, be sure to leave the heat at 55 degrees, at the very least.
- Open faucets: If you know you’re going to have freezing temps overnight, allow a slow trickle of water from all of your faucets. This keeps the water moving through the pipes.
What to Do When Your Pipes Freeze
If the weather outside is frightful — or, at least, below freezing — and you’re not getting water from one or more faucets, you probably have a frozen pipe. Acting quickly is important to avoid a burst pipe. Here are steps you can take to protect your plumbing.
- Shut off the water: Find your main water supply valve. If you don’t know where it is, call your utility company’s emergency line for help.
- Find the frozen pipe (if you can): Don’t panic. Try to remember that it’s most likely in an uninsulated area, such as your crawl space or attic, exterior wall, or under a sink. You’ll probably see frost on the outside of the pipe.
- Open the faucets connected to that pipe: This helps to relieve pressure on the non-frozen pipes.
- Check for leaks: If you can see that the pipe is cracked or has already burst, call a professional plumber (like Everest Plumbing!) immediately.
- Attempt to thaw: If the pipes can be accessed, try to use a hair dryer or space heater. Never use an open flame.
Unsure? Call Everest Plumbing!
While preventing a burst pipe on your own is possible, your best bet is to call a plumber like Everest Plumbing. We use specialized equipment to thaw your pipes — safely and efficiently. We’ll also be able to find any damage that isn’t out in the open or apparent in any way. Even if you don’t see any damaged pipes, there may be a crack somewhere else that will leak once it thaws. Be sure to always have a plumber examine any pipes that experience a freeze to ensure they are sound and not at risk of failure.
