The extreme cold combined with wind chill creates a substantial risk for frozen or burst pipes. Freezing water turns to ice within the pipe, which can expand and block the line. This blockage creates excessive pressure throughout the system and causes pipe failure in vulnerable places. Even a tiny crack can unleash more than 250 gallons of water in a single day.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What to do when water pipes freeze and/or burst?
If a water pipe has burst, turn off the main water supply valve and open connecting faucets to relieve pressure and minimize water damage. Call a plumber to repair the damaged pipes. Call a professional water damage cleanup company if water has soaked carpets, flooring and walls.
If a water pipe has frozen but hasn’t burst, use a hair dryer to blow warm air onto the pipe. Move it back and forth to warm as much of the pipe as you can reach. Point a space heater at the pipe or the wall containing the frozen pipe. Never use an open flame to heat a pipe! If necessary, call a plumber to thaw your pipe with professional pipe thawing equipment.
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How to prevent frozen pipes?
Keep exposed water supply pipes warm by wrapping them with foam pipe insulation sleeves. Use temperature-controlled heat tape on the most vulnerable pipes. Disconnect outside water hoses and cover outdoor faucets with foam insulation kits to prevent them from freezing and damaging indoor water supply pipes. Open cabinet doors beneath sinks to allow warm air to circulate around pipes. Allow water to trickle from faucets when temperatures drop well below freezing. Keep furnace on and set no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit, but preferably warmer.
What are the symptoms of a frozen pipe?
The most common way to know your pipes have frozen is if you turn on a faucet and no water comes out, or water comes out slowly or in a halting manner. Sometimes frozen pipes will exhibit a frosty appearance, but most often they look the same as an unfrozen pipe.

