Winter brings freezing temperatures that put pipes at risk. The most susceptible are outdoor hose bibs and sprinkler lines, as well as interior plumbing in unheated spaces like basements, crawl spaces, attics, and garages.
If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, it could mean your pipes have frozen. Applying heat to the affected area, such as a hair dryer or heat tape, can help melt the blockage.
Water expands as it freezes
As it turns colder outside, homeowners are concerned about the possibility of pipes freezing and bursting. Fortunately, there are several ways to catch frozen pipes in time to prevent damage.
Water expands as it freezes, creating a great deal of pressure within the pipe. This can cause the pipe to crack or burst, causing leaks and flooding. It can also cause structural damage to your home. This is why it’s so important to detect the problem early on. You can do this by turning off your water supply and checking for signs of frozen pipes. You should also check all of your taps and toilets in case the frozen pipe is close by.
Frozen pipes often occur in unheated or poorly insulated areas of the house. These include attics, crawl spaces and basements. Frozen pipes in these areas can be very dangerous as they are often located near heating ducts, which could result in a significant fire risk. Other indicators of frozen pipes are puddles of water, whistling sounds when you flush the toilet or strange bubbling when you turn on a faucet. You should also pay attention to the movement of your water meter, as this can be a sign that a pipe has burst.
Although the freezing point of water is 32 degrees Fahrenheit, your pipes need to experience much lower temperatures before they’ll freeze. This is particularly true of exposed pipes and those located in drafty areas, where the cold air can blow directly against them. In addition, it’s helpful to have proper insulation and seal any cracks in your walls that could allow cold air to get into your home.
The best way to prevent frozen pipes is to keep the temperature in your home steady. This can be done by keeping the thermostat set at a constant temperature both day and night. Additionally, by opening cabinet doors under sinks, warm air can circulate around the pipes and prevent them from freezing. Letting your faucets drip, even a trickle, can help as well. This keeps the water moving, which reduces the chance of it ice forming.
Pipes are susceptible to freezing
Frozen pipes that burst can cause costly water and plumbing damage in your home. The risk is greatest for pipes that run against exterior walls, in unheated interior spaces such as basements and attics, and in garages or sheds. The ice that forms in a frozen pipe also puts pressure on the pipe, which can lead to a break when the water thaws and expands.
The most effective way to prevent pipes from freezing is to insulate them. Pipe insulation is available at most hardware and home improvement stores. Insulation should be placed on all exposed plumbing and on any water supply lines that may be in unheated areas, such as those running through the attic or crawl space.
When temperatures drop, keep your thermostat set at a constant temperature day and night to prevent rapid fluctuations in temperature that can cause pipes to freeze. In addition, open your kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate around the plumbing.
If you think a pipe has frozen, shut off your water at the main valve and apply heat to the frozen section of the pipe. You can use an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or hot water bottles. Never use an open flame, such as a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove or other open flame device, to thaw a pipe, as this poses a fire hazard and could damage the pipe.
Letting a faucet drip during cold weather also can help prevent freezing pipes. The dripping water doesn’t provide any additional protection against freezing, but it does help relieve the excessive pressure that can build between a faucet and an ice blockage in the event of a frozen pipe.
If you plan to be out of the house for several days during cold weather, ask a friend or neighbor to check on your home and start a drip in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry area faucets. You can also ask them to keep the garage door closed, especially if there are water supply lines in the garage.
Pipes are susceptible to bursting
The same principle that makes soda cans expand when frozen also puts water pipes at risk of bursting. Solid ice occupies more space than liquid water, and the increased pressure puts your plumbing system at risk of rupture. Pipes rarely burst where a complete ice blockage occurs, though. Instead, continued freezing and expansion in the ice-blockage causes water pressure to increase downstream of the ice blockage toward closed faucets that are “upstream.”
Water supply lines in unheated interior spaces like basements and crawl spaces, attics and garages, are particularly susceptible to freeze-and-burst incidents. Outdoor hose bibs and swimming pool supply lines that are not properly drained are prone to freezing, too. The same goes for water supply lines that run against exterior walls without proper insulation.
Frozen pipes can cause all sorts of problems, including soaking carpets and ruining furniture. It’s estimated that a quarter-million homes are damaged each winter due to broken pipes. An eighth-inch crack in a pipe can lead to the loss of 250 gallons of water per day, which is enough to wreak havoc in your home.
Fortunately, you can prevent your pipes from freezing by taking the right precautions before cold weather hits. Insulate exposed pipes in crawl spaces and attics, and wrap them with heat tape or thermostatically controlled heat cables, following the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
Keep a small trickle of water flowing through the kitchen, bath and laundry faucets during cold weather to keep the water moving. It will help prevent the water in those faucets from freezing and bursting. If you suspect a frozen or burst pipe, it’s best to act quickly and contact a reliable plumber West Jordan service to prevent further damage to your home.
If you can locate the frozen section of the pipe, gently apply heat to the area with a hairdryer, heating pad or space heater. The warmth will melt the ice and allow water to flow freely again. If you can’t find the frozen section of the pipe, or if it is behind a wall or under your floor, call in a professional.
Pipes are susceptible to thawing
A frozen pipe that thaws can create water and plumbing damage in the home. As the ice melts, the pressure on the inner wall of the pipe can increase, causing the pipe to burst or leak.
Frozen pipes are most likely to be located in unheated areas of the house. These include the attic, basement and crawl spaces. They also tend to be located along exterior walls and at the foundation of the home. Uninsulated pipes in these areas are right up against the cold winter air, and this situation is made worse by insufficient insulation or cracks in the house’s structure that allow cold air to enter.
Even with precautions, some homes are at high risk of frozen pipes. Identifying the frozen section of the pipe is an important first step in addressing the problem, and this can be done by checking for water flow at the affected faucet. If only a trickle comes out, then the pipe is most likely frozen.
Once the pipe is thawed, turn off the water at the home’s main shut-off valve to avoid flooding. Immediately check the area around the frozen pipe for signs of water damage, including leaking or pools of water on the floor and ceiling.
If the frozen pipe is in an exposed location, turn up the heat in the house and open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate around the plumbing. A hair dryer or space heater placed in a room near the affected area can help thaw pipes by applying warm air to them. Encircling a frozen pipe in heated towels is another way to help thaw it. Be careful when using these methods to avoid exposing the pipe to a flame or allowing it to boil, as both of these situations can cause the pipe to burst.
In the future, consider insulating any exposed pipes to reduce their susceptibility to freezing and thawing. These products are inexpensive and easy to install. They are available in a variety of insulation thicknesses, and some even have thermostatically controlled heating to keep the pipes warm.
