What to do if you have a frozen pipe

If one of your pipes freezes, you must act quickly to prevent it from bursting and potentially causing significant damage to your property. Here’s what you should do.

Locate the source
Before you can solve your pipe problem, you need to find its source of it. Start by looking at the pipes closest to your exterior walls. They’re the most susceptible to freezing. Additionally, pipes located inside closets with little warm air circulating are at risk. Look for a pipe that’s cold to the touch, has frost forming on it, or is bulging slightly; these are all signs of freezing.

Warm the pipe
There are several ways to defrost a pipe, but the hairdryer method is the safest. Turn on your faucet and slowly apply heat along the frozen pipe to achieve a gradual, gentle thaw. Instead of a hairdryer, you can also use a heat lamp or space heater. However, be sure not to apply heat directly to the pipe.

If this approach fails to work, don’t resort to using a propane torch. In addition to being a fire hazard, the intense heat may cause your pipe to burst.

Alternatively, contact a local plumber if you want to get the job done safely and quickly.