Frozen Pipes – What to Do

So despite your best efforts at insulating, caulking, wrapping your pipes, leaving a faucet dripping and more, you or a family member find yourself with frozen pipes. What to do? First off, don’t panic. Just because you have frozen pipes doesn’t mean they’ve already burst.

Here’s what you can do:

• If you turn on your faucet and nothing comes out, leave the faucet or faucets turned on and try to thaw the pipe.
• Never try to thaw a pipe with a torch or flame, as you could start a fire. Water damage is preferable to burning down your house.
• You may be able to thaw a frozen pipe using a hair dryer. Start by blowing hot air on the part of the pipe closest to the faucet and work your way toward the coldest section of pipe.
• Another way to thaw frozen pipes is by placing a small space heater underneath them, making sure to avoid placing it near any flammable materials.
• If you are unable to locate a frozen pipe, or it is in the wall, call the plumber.
• If one or more water pipes have already burst, turn the water off at the main water valve (usually in the basement). Callan emergency plumber.

The last thing to do, once the pipes are no longer frozen and any damage is repaired is to prevent the same thing from happening again. See our recent blog on preventing pipes from freezing.

If you have frozen pipes in the wall or frozen pipes that have burst, call Five Star Plumbing at 410-836-0118 for immediate assistance. We work 7 days a week, with never any overtime charges. We serve the Baltimore and Harford County area, including Cecil County and Howard County.