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How To Thaw A Frozen Pipe

How to Thaw a Frozen Pipe

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One of the most common issues that people experience during the winter comes in the form of a frozen pipe. If not taken care of immediately, a frozen water supply pipe can burst and cause extensive and expensive water damage to your home. How do you know if a pipe is frozen? The biggest indicator is if you turn on your faucet and nothing comes out. If this is the case, it's time to get to work. Here's how to thaw a pipe - the right way:

Tools & Supplies

Hair Dryer
Space Heater (Optional)
Thermostat-controlled heat tape (Optional)

Step 1: Find the Frozen Pipe

Finding a frozen pipe is not as easy as you think, especially if you have a large house. Check the most likely areas, such as crawl spaces beneath pier and beam homes or trailers. Also, check drafty unfinished basements, attics, garages, and uninsulated walls – where pipes are exposed to cold air. After you find the frozen pipe, it’s time to act. Turn off the main water supply to the structure then open all faucets to relieve pressure in the pipe. Sometimes the frozen pipe will have frost on the outside, but not always. Feel the pipe to see if it’s extraordinarily cold.

Step 2: Thaw the Pipe

Next, you need to put heat on the pipe – but no open flames! The fire risk is too great to risk using propane torches candles, or other open flames. Some people turn up their thermostat, but this isn't recommended as the only solution because it will take too long to get results. Do turn up your heat, and open your sink cabinets with pipes beneath them so the warm air circulates around pipes. However, also use a handheld hair dryer back and forth along the pipe. Make sure you're doing this evenly: Otherwise, the pipe could rupture. You can also place a space heater nearby but keep it at least three feet away from wall materials to prevent a fire.

Consider applying thermostat-controlled heat tape (sometimes called heat cable) to your most vulnerable water supply pipes such as exposed pipes beneath trailers or in attics. Follow the manufacturer’s directions, but in most cases, you should not wrap the pipe. Instead, run it lengthwise along the pipe and tape it in place with electrician’s tape. Be sure to place the thermostat (usually a circular rubber button) against the pipe. There is a sensor inside that monitors the pipe’s temperature and will activate heat when it drops below freezing. It will automatically turn off the heat when temperatures rise. Be careful with heat tape. Some homeowners make the mistake of leaving it on their pipes year-round, which increases the chance of a fire when the cable deteriorates.

How Long Does it Take Pipes to Thaw?

If fully exposed to the outdoors, pipes can freeze at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, but most pipes inside structures won’t freeze until the temperature drops into the 20s or teens. The time it takes for a pipe to thaw is based on several factors such as temperature, wind chill, how deeply they’ve frozen, and where they are located. With professional thawing equipment, plumbers can thaw a frozen pipe in minutes. A hair dryer or space heater may thaw a pipe in as little as 30 minutes, but it could take much longer depending on the length and location of the pipe.

Will Frozen Pipes Thaw on Their Own?

Pipes will eventually thaw on their own, but how long it takes depends on the temperature and location. Be sure to open indoor faucets inside the structure to relieve pressure as ice builds inside the pipe. Even if the pipe doesn’t burst, a hard freeze may have stressed pipe joints to the point that they could unexpectedly fail in the future. A professional plumber can inspect the pipe and offer recommendations.

What if the pipe bursts?

If your water supply pipe does burst, turn off the building’s water valve immediately to limit water damage. Call Roto-Rooter 24/7 to fix the pipe and provide professional water damage cleanup services.

If you run into any problems unfreezing a pipe, be sure to give your Roto-Rooter plumber a call. Roto-Rooter is equipped with professional grade pipe thawing equipment that can be employed before a pipe bursts and causes water damage.