Every homeowner knows the fear of frozen pipes. As soon as the temperature starts to drop, it begins to nag in the back of your mind, and most people won’t be able to stop worrying about it until spring comes again. A frozen pipe is a one-way ticket to leaks, bursts, and serious plumbing issues that cost you time, money, and energy that many homeowners simply can’t afford to lose.
Even with your best efforts, frozen pipes can still occur occasionally, and it’s critical that if you ever find yourself in this situation, you act quickly to fix it. Here are some actions you can take to lessen the damage a frozen pipe has caused!
Shut Off the Water
The first thing you should do in the event of a plumbing issue in your home is to go to the water supply valve and turn it off. You will be minimizing the amount of mess you have to deal with– and preventing major water damage– by stopping any further water from entering your house! This way, even if a pipe bursts or a faucet runs, there will be a limited amount of water that could wind up on the floor as a result. After turning off the water, it’s a good idea to open all of the taps and faucets in your home and leave them open. If you manage to defrost the blockage, this enables the water to flow through the pipes freely, aiding in the process.
Find the Freeze
Once you’ve accomplished these steps, you can move on to locating the frozen pipe. A visible layer of frost surrounding the pipe itself is the most telling indicator of a frozen pipe, though liquid condensation can sometimes be present in place of ice on the exterior of a pipe. A frozen blockage can also be identified if you tap on your pipes with a hard object or tool and hear a solid sound rather than a hollow one. Additionally, you can inspect the pipes by touching them and using your hand to feel for especially cold areas to find a frozen obstruction.
Determine Safety
There are DIY thawing methods that you can attempt to use on a frozen pipe, but before you break out your hair dryer, you have to determine whether or not it’s safe for you to do so! If part of the pipe looks swollen or like a bubble has risen in the metal, or if you can visually see cracks or signs of a leakage or burst pipe, it’s best to not even attempt to defrost the pipe yourself. Instead, call your local emergency plumber right away!
Attempt a Thaw
If your pipe looks fine aside from the ice, you can try a thawing method to get things moving again. Here are a few options that are effective and safe!
- Use a hairdryer on the warm (not hot) setting
- Set a space heater up nearby and point it near the pipe
- Soak towels or rags in hot water and wrap them around the pipe
The one thing you should never do is try to defrost your pipe with a blowtorch or any other intense heat source. This will often do more harm than good and can damage the pipe and potentially hurt you!
Call a Plumber
If you’re not sure you can safely thaw out your pipes on your own, or if the frozen pipe looks very serious, it’s always safest to let the professionals handle things. Our staff at Schuler Service has years of experience dealing with issues like frozen pipes, and we can help you get things working properly again! If you want to learn more, be sure to get in touch with us by phone or online for further information.
