How to Repair Frozen Water Pipes

Keep the Water in Your House Flowing Freely

On a cold, winter day, have you ever turned a faucet on in your house and nothing came out? I have on more than one occasion. If you have too, then you know the sinking feeling you get in the pit of your stomach. Instantly, you know that, somewhere in that long maze of water pipes that runs through your house, one of them has frozen up.

Frozen water pipes are bad news. Not only are they an inconvenience, but, if they are let go, the pipes can burst. Burst pipes can mean water damage, a flooded basement, perhaps, and expensive repairs to your home.

It doesn't matter if the water pipes in your home are plastic (PVC) or copper- both materials freeze equally. Both types of material need to be thawed out just as soon as possible.

First, you should check the other faucets in your house. Find out if the problem involves just one faucet, or if it's a widespread problem. If only one faucet is out of order, that pinpoints the problem to being between the faucet and the line that leads to it.

Next, the most obvious place where a pipe freezes is where it's not insulated. Also, pipes that are located along an outside wall, such as in a basement or crawl space, are more likely to freeze in the winter weather. Sometimes, pipes that are located underneath a kitchen or bathroom cabinet can freeze too. The closed up cabinets keep the warm air in the room from reaching the pipes. 

Sometimes, you can actually feel the pipe to help determine exactly where the frozen water is located. Obviously, the icy area will feel much colder than the rest of the pipe.

Open the faucet that corresponds with the line that's frozen. That is, if the hot water line is frozen, then open that side of the faucet. Same with the cold water side. If your cold water doesn't run, then turn that faucet on. By doing this, you can tell when you have the problem fixed. That, and turning the faucet on can actually help to alleviate pressure in the line.