How to artfully deal with frozen pipes

Relax, we got you: MoveBuddy’s guide to common household challenges

If you live in a northern climate, you know the fear. If the temperature drops, you start to worry about your pipes. Specifically, you worry about them freezing.  

Frozen pipes are a pain. Beyond the fact that fixing them can be costly, they can make living in your house impossible. After all, we rely on water to perform many of our day-to-day tasks.  

MoveBuddy is here to help you navigate common household problems, like frozen pipes. Let’s look at how to identify the possibility of frozen pipes and how to fix the problem.  

Are the pipes frozen?

There are several signs that your pipes may be frozen or starting to freeze. Some include:

Insufficient water flow: Did you experience a feeble stream of water from your kitchen faucet when attempting to prepare coffee this morning? A lack of running water is typically one of the initial indications of frozen pipes.

Expanded pipes: When water undergoes freezing, the molecules expand, generating substantial pressure that can result in noticeable bulging of a pipe.

Unusual sounds: If your pipes begin emitting unusual noises, like banging or gurgling, it may suggest the presence of ice moving through the pipes.

Condensation and surface cracks: The observation of a layer of condensation or small surface cracks on a pipe could signify the onset of freezing.

Unpleasant odor: The detection of a sewage-like smell coming from your faucets often accompanies a freezing exterior sewer line.

What to do if your pipes are frozen?

If you suspect that your pipes are frozen there are some things you can do to try and rectify the situation. They include:

1. If a faucet fails to produce water or does so at a slow pace, suspect a frozen pipe. Investigate all faucets throughout the house to determine the extent of the issue. If the problem is widespread, open all faucets, turn off the main water supply to the house, and seek the assistance of a plumber.

2. In the case of a single frozen pipe, activate the corresponding faucet to aid in restoring water flow once the pipe thaws. Identify the nearest water shut-off valve to the break, but refrain from turning off the water unless you discover an actual pipe burst.

3. Experiment with the hair dryer technique. Pinpoint the area where the pipe has frozen. Starting from the faucet and progressing backward along the pipeline to the frozen segment, use the dryer along the pipe's length. Continue until full water pressure is restored at the open faucet. Afterward, reduce the faucet flow to a trickle until the cold spell subsides. Caution: When utilizing a hair dryer, ensure that neither the appliance nor its cord comes into contact with water that might escape through a crack in a burst pipe.

4. If water begins to surge out of the pipe during the warming process, disconnect the hair dryer and promptly close the nearest water shut-off valve. Keep the faucet open and enlist the services of a plumber to address the burst pipe.

5. If reaching a frozen pipe proves challenging, contact a plumber and shut off the water supply to the pipe. Keep the faucet open to allow for drainage.

There is no doubt that frozen pipes can be a pain, but if treated properly they don’t have to be that big of a deal. Just follow tips like above and water will be flowing freely out of your taps in no time again.  

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