What to Do If Your Pipes Freeze

If you turn on a faucet in Green Bay on a cold morning and only a trickle comes out, or nothing at all, a pipe has probably frozen. What you do in the next hour matters: gentle heat can thaw a pipe you can reach, but the wrong method can start a fire, and a pipe that has split will leak the moment it thaws. Here is what to do, step by step.

How do you know a pipe is frozen?

The usual sign is a faucet that gives only a trickle of water, or no water at all, while the weather is below freezing. Check other faucets in the house as well, because more than one pipe can be frozen. Pipes freeze most often in unheated spaces such as attics, basements, garages, and crawl spaces, in pipes against exterior walls with little or no insulation, at outdoor hose bibbs, and in pipes inside cabinets on exterior walls.

First steps when a pipe freezes

1. Keep the faucet open. Running water through the pipe helps melt the ice as it thaws.
2. Check the other taps. If more than one is affected, more than one pipe may be frozen.
3. Find the frozen section if you can. Look in the places pipes freeze first: exterior walls, crawl spaces, attics, garages, and cabinets on outside walls.
4. Warm it gently. Use an electric heating pad, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater kept away from flammable materials, or towels soaked in hot water, applied to the frozen section.
5. Watch for a leak as it thaws. Turn the water on partially so water can flow as the ice melts, and be aware that water may spray from a crack once the ice clears.

What never to do

Never use a blowtorch, a kerosene or propane heater, a charcoal stove, or any open-flame device to thaw a pipe. The fire risk is serious, and an open flame can damage the pipe and the structure around it. Never use heat tape on a pipe that is already frozen, either.

If the pipe has burst

If the frozen pipe is burst, first turn off the water supply. The main shut-off valve is usually near the water meter, often in the basement or near the water heater, and it may also be in a crawl space, utility room, or closet. Turn off the electricity if the leak is near outlets or an electrical panel. Then call for help. Our burst pipe repair in Green Bay page explains what happens next.

When to call a professional

Call a local plumbing professional if you cannot find the frozen area, if the pipe is inside a wall or otherwise out of reach, or if gentle heat does not thaw it. A professional can locate the freeze, thaw it with proper equipment, and check for splits. plumbing help for frozen pipes in Green Bay through our referral service connects you with an independent local professional who may be able to help. See also emergency frozen pipe thawing in Green Bay.

After the thaw

Once water is flowing again, check the thawed section for leaks and keep an eye on it for a day or two. If the same pipe freezes again, it needs more than thawing: insulation, rerouting, or replacement. Our article on how to prevent frozen pipes in Green Bay covers the steps that stop a repeat freeze.

Related reading

• How to Prevent Frozen Pipes in Green Bay
• Why Pipes Burst in Green Bay
• Emergency Frozen Pipe Thawing in Green Bay

Frequently asked questions