Frozen Pipe Repair & Thawing
Thaw an iced-up line safely, inspect it for splits and reroute or insulate the run that keeps freezing.
Homeowner tips
Frozen Pipes in Westminster, CO: How to Thaw and Prevent Them
If a faucet runs slow or not at all in cold weather, the pipe behind it may be frozen. Open the tap, warm the pipe gently and watch for leaks as the ice melts.
By the Westminster Plumbing Co. team ·
The short answer: what to do right now
Open the faucet closest to the frozen section so melting ice has somewhere to go. Then warm the pipe slowly, starting at the faucet end and working back toward the frozen part. A hair dryer on low, a heating pad or towels soaked in warm water all work.
Do not use a torch, a heat gun on high or any open flame. Fast heat can split a pipe, and a flame can ignite insulation or framing. If you cannot find the frozen spot or the pipe is behind a wall, stop and call a plumber.
Why pipes freeze along the Front Range
Cold here arrives in sharp snaps, with a mild afternoon followed by a night well below freezing. Pipes in exterior walls, vented crawlspaces, unheated garages and additions lose heat first. A fall freeze can arrive before the sprinkler is drained or the hoses are off.
A pipe usually does not burst where the ice forms. It bursts between the ice plug and a closed faucet, where trapped water has nowhere to go. That is why a pipe can look fine while frozen and spray as soon as it thaws.
Check for damage before you restore the water
Look along the pipe for bulges, cracks, frost on the outside or wet insulation. If you find any of these, close the main valve before the ice melts completely and call for repair. Turn the water back on slowly and watch every joint for a few minutes.
Check the meter after the thaw. If it moves with every tap off, a split is leaking somewhere you cannot see. A leak detection visit finds it, and the meter tells you whether to call. See the guide to finding a water leak in your house for the meter test.
What each sign means and what to do
Use this table to match what you see with the next step.
| What you see | What it suggests | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Trickle at one tap in cold weather | Ice in a short section of pipe | Open the tap and warm the pipe slowly |
| No water at any tap | Ice in the main or a shutoff gone cold | Check the meter box and the entry point |
| Bulge or frost on the pipe | Ice with pressure building behind it | Close the main and warm the pipe gently |
| Wet insulation or a drip after the thaw | A split in the pipe | Close the main and call for repair |
Where freezes happen again and again
Hose bibs are the usual repeat offender. A hose left on a spigot holds water inside the valve, and the freeze can split the pipe behind the wall without any sign until spring. Pipes in a garage ceiling, along a rim joist and under a kitchen sink on an exterior wall are close behind.
If the same pipe freezes every winter, the cure is not another thaw. Insulate it, seal the air leak that chills it or move it to the warm side of the wall.
How to prevent it
Disconnect hoses and close the interior shutoff to outdoor spigots before the first hard freeze. Drain the sprinkler lines and the backflow assembly. Wrap exposed pipes in foam sleeves, and seal gaps around pipes where they pass through the wall.
During a hard freeze, let a faucet drip on the coldest wall and open the cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls. Keep the heat on if you travel. A thermostat set well above freezing costs less than a burst pipe.
When to call a plumber
Call if you cannot reach the frozen section, if you see a split or if the thaw reveals a leak. Call if the same pipe has frozen before. A plumber can reroute or insulate it so the problem stops.
If water is already spreading, close the main valve first. Then call the frozen pipe repair line and, if the structure is wet, ask about water damage restoration as well.
What not to do with a frozen pipe
Never use an open flame on a frozen pipe. A torch can scorch framing, melt solder joints and start a fire inside a wall, and the steam it creates can split the pipe faster than the ice would. Space heaters left unattended near wet insulation carry similar risks.
Skip boiling water poured straight onto a pipe too. Thick copper tolerates it, but plastic fittings and old solder joints may not, and a sudden temperature swing can crack a pipe that was already stressed. Warm air and warm towels are slower and far safer.
Do not leave the house while a pipe is thawing. The moment ice releases, a hidden crack can start spraying, and you want someone present who knows where the main valve is and can close it right away.
A plan for the next cold snap
Before winter, walk the house with a flashlight and list every pipe that runs through an exterior wall, a garage ceiling or an unheated crawlspace. Those runs freeze first. Open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls when the forecast drops so room heat can reach the pipes.
Keep the thermostat at a steady setting during a cold night rather than turning it down to save money. If you travel in winter, leave the heat on, and ask a neighbor to look in. A house that sits cold for days can freeze even when the furnace is on a low setting.
Common questions
Answers about frozen pipe
It depends on the temperature, the wind and the insulation. A pipe in an exterior wall can freeze after several hours of hard cold, while an insulated pipe inside the house may never freeze.
During a hard freeze, a slow drip on the coldest line relieves pressure and keeps water moving. It uses little water compared with a burst.
Many policies cover sudden water damage from a burst pipe if you kept the house heated. Check your policy and report the claim promptly.
It can, but the pipe may split as it does. Warm it gently and watch for leaks instead of waiting.
Related services
Burst Pipe Repair
Shut the water off fast, then cut out and replace the cracked or split section.
Water Damage Restoration
Dry and rebuild a home after a pipe leak, a frozen-pipe burst or a sewer backup.
Keep reading
Winterize sprinklers and outdoor faucets
Fall prep for outdoor water prevents split spigots, cracked backflow assemblies and spring leaks.
Shutting off the main water valve
Know where the main valve is before you need it. This guide covers where to look, how to turn it and what to do if it sticks.
Finding a hidden water leak at home
A moving meter, a damp basement wall or a bill that jumped. A handful of quick tests tells you whether you have a leak and roughly where.
Pipe frozen or leaking?
Open the nearest tap, close the main valve if water is spreading and call. The dispatcher then matches you with a nearby contractor.