Frozen Water Pipes
Everyone is familiar with the problems that winter weather can cause outdoors, but some
do not realize that other issues can arise indoors. Freezing temperatures can cause
plumbing pipes to freeze and potentially burst, leading to water damage and flooding.
Because water expands as it freezes, tremendous pressure is created wherever it is
contained (including inside of metal or plastic pipes). Pipes that freeze most frequently are
those that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines,
water sprinkler lines, and water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like basements and
crawl spaces, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets. Pipes that run against exterior walls that
have little or no insulation are also subject to freezing. No matter the "strength" of a
container, expanding water can cause pipes to break. Remember these simple tips to
ensure that this doesn’t happen to you!
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Disconnect all gardening hoses and install covers on all outside faucets before winter begins.
Keep your house temperature at 68 degrees or higher, even and especially if you're leaving the house
for an extended period of time.
Open cabinet doors below sinks to allow heat from the
home to circulate.
Identify the location of the main water valve and the
valve on your water heater. (Learning the location of
these valves may come in handy during an emergency.)
Wrap pipes nearest exterior walls and in crawl spaces
with pipe insulation or with heating tape. This can
prevent freezing, especially for interior pipes that run
along outside walls.
Heat your basement and consider weather sealing your
windows.
Insulate outside walls and unheated areas of your home.
If you plan to be away from home for an extended time,
shut off water supply valves to your washing machine.
If a pipe freezes in your home…
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Thaw it using a hair dryer. (For safety purposes, avoid operating a hair dryer around standing water.)
Heat water on the stove, soak towels in the hot water and wrap them around cold sections of the pipes.
Remember to start thawing the pipe nearest to the faucet. Make sure the faucet is turned on so that
melted water can drip out.
If a pipe bursts in your home, shut off water at the main
valve, close the water valve at the top of your water heater,
and call a plumber.