How to Prevent Your Pipes from Freezing

As soon as the temperature dips below 32°F, your home’s pipes are at risk of freezing. The lower the temperature goes, and the longer it remains there, the higher the likelihood your plumbing will be impacted.

Some pipes in your home are more vulnerable to freezing than others, like the ones located in your basement, attic, or garage, which are generally unheated spaces. However, pipes running through cabinets or exterior walls are also susceptible to freezing. If these home pipes have not been properly protected and winterized when temperatures plummet, they can get so cold that the water flowing through them turns to ice. The following warning signs may indicate you have a frozen pipe:

• You turn on a faucet and little to no water comes out.
• You see an icy patch or frost on an exposed pipe.
• You smell an unusual odor coming from a drain or faucet.
• You hear banging or whistling coming from your pipes.

If you notice any of these or other similar symptoms, do not try to thaw a frozen pipe yourself as doing so might cause further damage to your plumbing or result in an injury. Instead, reach out to a licensed plumber for assistance.

Unfortunately, frozen pipes often go undetected by a homeowner. If that happens, the ice in the pipe may continue to expand, exerting tremendous pressure on their plumbing. Over the course of just a few days (or less), this pressure may build to the point that the pipe ruptures, sending a cascade of water into the home and causing thousands of dollars in damage.

To avoid this costly and stressful situation, homeowners may want to implement these four preventive measures:

1. Properly insulating pipes. Wrapping all hot- and cold-water pipes with insulation should help keep the pipe temperature closer to that of the water inside. For an extra layer of protection against the cold, you may want to consider upgrading the insulation throughout your home or making plumbing updates.
2. Maintaining a constant temperature. While lowering the thermostat when you are not at home or during the overnight hours may be an easy way to save money and be energy-efficient, it is not recommended during a cold snap. Instead, leave your thermostat at the same temperature day and night. If you are going away for an extended period this winter, setting the thermostat to at least 60°F will help your home stay above freezing.
3. Letting cold water drip from a faucet. Allowing a constant trickle of water to flow from a faucet may sound like a far-fetched way to protect your pipes. However, if there is an ice blockage forming in a pipe, this simple act may help relieve some of the pressure building up in the pipe and prevent it from bursting. While setting any faucet to drip is fine, selecting the one farthest away from the main water source may better promote water flow throughout the plumbing system.
4. Keeping warm air circulating around pipes. When your kitchen or bathroom sink cabinets are closed, the air behind them can get much colder than the temperature inside your home—possibly even cold enough to cause the pipes and water supply lines found there to freeze. Simply leaving cabinet doors open allows warmer air to get in and around the pipes.

If a house pipe still ends up freezing and bursting, the most important thing to do is shut off the main water supply to your home. After that, you should contact a licensed, insured plumber for further instructions and stop using the plumbing system until a professional has a chance to evaluate it. In addition, if the burst pipe has damaged your property or belongings, reach out to your independent insurance agent right away for help initiating the claims process.

How do you turn off the main water supply to your house?

Sometimes homeowners wait until a water emergency occurs to track down the location of their home’s main water shutoff valve. We encourage you to look for it today. Some of the typical places it might be found are in the basement, a crawl space, an attached garage, or the utility or water heater room, or near the water meter or where the main water line enters your house. Being able to get to this valve quickly, and knowing how to operate it properly, can help minimize the damage a burst pipe can cause to your property.

For greater peace of mind, though, you may want to consider investing in a smart water shutoff valve. This device is installed on your main water supply line and constantly monitors the water flow and usage in your home. If it detects a change in pressure, a leak, or freezing temperatures, it alerts you, typically through an app. Plus, when it senses any abnormal activity, it can automatically shut off the water supply to your pipes and fixtures, helping to lessen the potential for damage to your home and belongings.

Please check out our blog for more insights on protecting your valuable property, not just when winter weather threatens but throughout the year. You will find tips on protecting your home from fire, water damage, theft, ice dams, and more.