Where pipes freeze
- Kitchen sinks on outside walls, especially under windows
- Pipes in garage walls or ceilings
- Basement rim joists with gaps in insulation
- Hose bib lines and bathroom pipes over cantilevered floors
Before the first deep freeze
- Disconnect hoses and close the inside valves to older outdoor taps.
- Seal gaps where cables and pipes pass through outside walls.
- Add foam insulation to exposed pipes in cold areas.
- Locate the main valve and make sure it actually closes.
On the coldest nights
Prop open the sink cabinets along exterior walls so house heat can reach the plumbing. Leave a pencil-thin trickle running at any tap with a history of freezing. Keep the heat at a steady setting, even if you are out, and never turn it below about 15 degrees.
If a pipe freezes
Open the tap so water can escape as the ice melts. Thaw it slowly with a hair dryer, starting near the open tap and moving back. Do not use a torch. If a pipe splits, close the main and call.
Heat tape works well on pipes that keep freezing, but use a model approved for the purpose and follow the instructions. Old or damaged heat tape can be a fire risk.
Rather hand it over? Our plumbers handle toilet installation and water softener installation along with everything else on our residential plumbing list.