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What to Do If the Pipes Are Frozen

Plumbing

Cold weather can disrupt the normal functioning of your household systems. For example, plumbing issues may occur during the winter that you may not experience during the warmer months of the year. One such example of how winter can affect your plumbing is when the pipes freeze in your house. Frozen pipes can cause an extraordinary amount of damage, which is both costly and inconvenient. Here’s some information about frozen pipes in the house and what to do should this troublesome issue occur:

 

Why Household Pipes Freeze

You might think that plumbing pipes around the home aren’t susceptible to freezing. However, this isn’t the case. When temperatures drop to an extreme level, the pipes might not be safe from the cold temperatures and freeze. As a result, the frozen water within the pipes can cause the plumbing to burst. This may result in a large amount of water damage not to mention the cost associated with fixing the pipes. Fortunately, there are steps to take that help prevent frozen pipes. 

 

How to Prevent the Pipes From Freezing

If you want to be proactive when it comes to cold weather and possibly freezing pipes, there are some ways to prevent the pipes in your house from freezing. Here are tips to prevent frozen pipes:

 

  • Pipe insulation: Insulate the pipes in areas of your home where they may most likely experience the coldest temperatures, such as the crawl space and attic of your home. You can use pipe insulation to protect the pipes in your home from freezing temperatures.
  • Seal leaks and cracks: Cold air can filter through leaks and cracks in your home, so be sure to check for these areas and use caulk in any spots where air may seep into your house. 
  • Winterize outdoor areas: In addition to protecting the pipes inside your home from freezing, you should also take the necessary steps to winterize outdoor areas where your pipes could freeze. Winterization steps to take include disconnecting your garden hose, closing cut-off valves on outdoor faucets, and making sure these exterior area faucets are drained. 
  • Allow faucets to drip: For extremely cold weather, you can turn your faucets on slightly in areas indoors so that there is a slight drip coming from the faucet as this will keep the water flowing and help prevent freezing.

What to Do When the Pipes in Your Home Freeze

If the pipes in your home do freeze, here are some steps to take to remedy the situation: 

 

  • Check the faucets to see if there is a lack of water flow coming through, which may indicate frozen pipes. 
  • Look for breaks in the water supply lines or broken pipes. If you notice either of these issues, turn off the main water supply in your home and call a plumbing professional right away for assistance. 
  • If the pipes appear to be frozen, but you don’t notice any broken water supply lines or broken pipes, you may be able to remedy the situation. Turn on the faucet where the frozen pipe is located and try warming the pipe. You can warm the area around the exposed pipes by using a hair dryer aimed at the pipe to provide heat to the area or by wrapping warm, damp towels around the pipe. Continue applying heat to the pipe until the area is no longer frozen. If the pipe is located inside of the wall, you can try increasing the heat in your home to see if this helps to thaw the frozen pipe. 
  • Remember to contact a plumber for broken water lines or pipes and when you are unable to thaw the pipes on your own. Fortunately, a plumbing professional is well-versed in this area and can help get the water running in your home once again. 

Contact NuBlue for All of Your Plumbing Issues

If you need assistance with frozen pipes in your home, don’t worry, NuBlue can help! Contact our team for all of your plumbing needs, including remedying frozen pipes, and we’ll get your water running again in no time. 

 

Contact NuBlue today for a professional plumber in the Greenville, Charlotte, Fayetteville, and Lake Norman areas!

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