How To Keep a Frozen Pipe From Breaking

1/22/2022 (Permalink)

More long-term solutions include pipe insulation.

Steps To Prevent a Flood

Water damage can be expensive to repair and can lead to secondary damage if it’s not fixed promptly. Frozen pipes are one of the leading causes of water damage in homes in Millville, OH, but if you identify and unfreeze the pipe before it ruptures, you can often save yourself the hassle of having to fix the pipe and clean up its aftermath. Follow these steps to prevent a flood.

1. Finding the Pipe

You may find that one faucet is working and another is not. This could be a sign of a pipe freeze between the two fixtures. You are more likely to find a frozen pipe near certain areas:

• Crawlspaces
  
• Attics
  
• Basements
  
• Outdoors
  
• Air vents
  
  

2. Inspecting the Pipe

To make sure you don’t already have a leak, you need to inspect your frozen pipes closely. Make sure that the surface doesn’t show any signs of cracks. If you find a crack, it is important to patch it before warming the pipe up. Turn off the water main to minimize leaking while the pipe is repaired.

3. Running the Faucets

If you don’t see any cracks, you can turn on the faucets. This gets water running and helps the faucet warm up gradually, as moving water does not freeze as readily as still water.

4. Warming the Pipes

There are several ways to warm up a pipe that holds frozen water. You can use a hair dryer for immediate warmth. More long-term solutions include heat tape and pipe insulation. If you can redirect warm air from your heater during the winter or from outside during warmer months inside your walls, this can keep pipes from freezing by warming the space around them.

If your frozen pipes do cause water damage, water restoration specialists are here to help. The best solution, however, is to prevent flooding in the first place by keeping pipes warm.