Unfreeze Pipes

With winter comes cold temperatures and inevitably, frozen pipes. There are a few basic do it yourself tricks that you can use to help prevent frozen pipes and to help unfreeze pipes.

If cold temperatures threaten your plumbing take a preemptive stance to help avoid a pipe freeze-up. Turn on the sink faucets just a trickle so that water is barely coming out. The running water, even just a trickle will help prevent pipes from freezing. Just leave the faucets open until the weather warms up. This small amount of running water should keep the ice at bay. You may pay a few dollars more on the water bill but a burst pipe would cost a great deal more. Also take into account the wind-chill (actor when determining whether temps will tall below freezing.

To start thawing the ice in a frozen pipe, you will want to work from the side closest to a faucet, so the melted ice can drain. Be sure to turn first on the faucet. Take your time and gradually work from the faucet side back into the frozen area.

To identify a frozen spot is easy if a pipe has burst or is swollen to the point of bursting. If you're lucky the frozen section of pipe is simply plugging the water flow so it can't run. To find the frozen ice plug, first check piping in unheated areas of the house or in exterior wails. To find the frozen spot, use a moist rag and wipe it along the pipe. When you get to the frozen spot, frost will form on the pipe.

If you can't find the frozen spot in a pipe, you will want to turn off the water to the home. You don't want a pipe to burst while you are away. If you don't want to turn off all the water to the home, be sure that any open faucets are only opened a little so that if the pipe thaws, water pouring out of the faucet will be just a trickle. Fully open faucets will overflow a sink.

If you find a pipe that often freezes, you will want to take preventative measures to ensure that it does not freeze again. Insulation can often be added around piping to help reduce the chance of re freezing.

If adding insulation does not help solve your problem, consult a professional for further assistance.