Has your worst winter plumbing nightmare come true? You’ve turned on a faucet during frigid winter temperatures… And all you get is a trickle of water. If you suspect frozen pipes in your home, don’t wait to investigate. Prevent damage with these tips on what to do if your water pipe freezes, and call Jeo’s Plumbing for help. Our Yakima general plumbers offer emergency services to help you restore access to water and prevent damage from burst pipes.
Step 1: Leave the Faucet On – But Turn the Main Water Line Off
When ice within the pipe melts during the thawing process, water needs somewhere to go—leaving the faucet on releases the pressure. Before defrosting pipes, however, turn off the main water line to safeguard your Yakima home against flooding in case a pipe bursts.
Step 2: Look for Frozen Pipes
The most common places to find frozen pipes are where water lines enter the home from the ground or foundation and against exterior walls. If the pipe is actively leaking or you see pools of water, it has cracked or burst.
Step 3: Thaw Frozen Water Pipes Carefully
If frozen pipes are hidden behind the walls, turn up the temperature on your home heating system or use an infrared lamp to thaw the pipe inside the wall. Otherwise, warm the frozen pipe with a hair dryer, portable space heater, electric heating blanket, or towels soaked in hot water to restore proper water flow. Remember, water and electricity don’t mix, so avoid unnecessary risks. If you’re unsure about the safety of thawing your pipes, enlist the help of a residential plumbing repair service. NEVER use open flame devices like kerosene and propane heaters, blow torches, or charcoal stoves to thaw frozen water pipes.
Step 4: Check Other Faucets for Blockages
Once you’ve thawed the pipe and verified it has not burst, turn the main water line back on and check other fixtures within your Yakima home for poor flow. If one pipe has frozen, you may have other ice blockages to address.
Step 5: If You Can’t Find the Frozen Pipe, Call a Local Plumber
If you can’t locate the frozen area, it’s inaccessible, or you can’t thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber. Jeo’s trusted Yakima Valley plumbers have you covered, offering affordable, transparent pricing on emergency plumbing repairs. Our skilled technicians take the stress out of plumbing services, quickly helping you locate and thaw frozen pipes, replace burst pipes, and insulate to prevent future issues.
What do you do if your water pipe freezes? Get fast, affordable residential plumbing repairs from Jeo’s Plumbing Services. We serve customers throughout the Yakima Valley Region, including Yakima, Benton City, Ellensburg, Grandview, Granger, Harrah, Kennewick, Naches, Pasco, Prosser, Richland, Selah, Sunnyside, Toppenish, Wapato, and Zillah. Contact us at 509-426-8779 to schedule emergency repairs for frozen pipes today.