What to do When Your Pipes Freeze

What’s worse than one thing in your home breaking or malfunctioning? Multiple things in your home breaking or malfunctioning at once, and that’s exactly what you’ll have to deal with when your home isn’t properly insulated.

A home that is not properly insulated will not only be cold but will also lead to ice dams in your gutters that can lead to a leaky roof and water damage to your walls, and frozen pipes that can burst at any time.

If your pipes freeze you know that insulation is the root of your problem, but as a short-term and more immediate solution, here’s what you should do:

1. Turn the water on, if it only trickles you can likely suspect a frozen pipe.
2. Keep the water on as you open cabinets to allow the heat to reach the pipes more easily.
3. You might want to try and thaw the pipe using either a hair dryer or by wrapping a heating pad around the frozen pipe.
4. The quicker you thaw your pipes the better. Once they become completely frozen they can burst as water expands and freezes.
5. If your pipes have burst you should call a plumber immediately to resolve the issue and then evaluate your insulation and heating.
6. To prevent pipes from freezing consider wrapping them with insulating sleeves and be sure to avoid turning your heat too low as you go to bed or leave your home.

Although frozen pipes often come to a surprise by many homeowners, you can easily prevent them from freezing by evaluating your heating and insulation as you prepare your home for winter.