Every winter many Americans
are dealing with the very real and
dangerous risk of frozen pipes.
If you suspect your pipes are frozen, there are
four key things you should immediately do.
1. In order to limit
possible damage if a
pipe bursts, shut off the
water at the main valve.
2. If you’re able to, fill your bathtub before
shutting the main valve off so that you
have water available to flush toilets.
3. Turn on the bathtub
faucet so that when your
pipes do thaw, the ice has
room to expand and drain.
4. If there are any visible signs of pipe damage,
call a plumber and schedule an appointment.
Although it’s better to allow your pipes to
thaw on their own, some situations may warrant
getting involved with these five steps.
1. Leave a faucet on and
allow water to flow, as it will
help melt ice in pipes.
2. Use a hair dryer, NOT
a blowtorch, kerosene
or propane heater, to
heat up the pipe.
3. Put a space heater in the room
where the frozen pipe is.
4. Continue to warm
up your pipes until full
water pressure returns.
5. Reach out to a
plumber if you can’t find
the frozen pipe or it
is not accessible.