In the plumbing world, winter is frozen pipe season. When the temperature dips low enough, the water in your pipes can freeze. This will lead to a pressure build-up in the pipe, which in turn can potentially cause bursting and subsequent water damage, forcing you to pay for new pipe repair and installation. Fortunately, if you have a frozen pipe on your hands, there are steps you can take to prevent this from happening. Keep reading to learn the top 5 tips for thawing frozen pipes, courtesy of our skilled plumbers at Service Today!
5 Steps for Thawing Frozen Pipes
- Find the Pipe That’s Frozen: If you turn your facet on and nothing more than a trickle of water comes out, there’s a good chance you’ve got a frozen pipe on your hands. To confirm this is the case, start examining the points where pipes enter your foundation, and check the piping on your exterior walls first. These are the most likely areas for pipes to freeze, so if you cannot locate the culprit there, you may need to call a plumber to check out your system.
- Keep the Faucet On: Before you can begin the thawing process, you will want to make sure the faucet attached to your frozen pipe is open. Turn the hot and cold handles, and run hot water through your pipes to help the ice melt.
- Apply Heat: Once you have found the pipe that is frozen and turned your faucet on, you can apply heat to the pipe in question in multiple ways. You can place an electric heating pad on the pipe, use a hairdryer to try and melt the ice, or place a space heater near it. If you do not have any of these things on hand, you can also wrap the frozen pipe in hot towels. Anything that generates an actual open flame, such as a lighter, propane heater, or blow torch, should not be used, as this can create a fire hazard.
- Check Your Other Faucets: If one pipe in your home has frozen, there is a good chance that others may need to be thawed, too. Check your faucets to see if any of them are not producing water, and if you find this is the case, repeat steps 1-3.
- Turn off the Main Water Valve: If the combination of running water and applied heat does not solve your pipe issue, chances are you will need to call a professional plumber. Before you do this, however, you will need to locate your main shut-off valve. By turning your water’s main valve off, you can prevent additional water damage from occurring to your property in the unfortunate event that a frozen pipe does burst.
To learn more about frozen pipes or to schedule plumbing work ASAP, call (888) 998-2032, or contact Service Today! online. We respond promptly to all requests, and offer affordable rates for repair and installations.
