When it gets extremely cold outside, the pipes that supply water to your home can freeze. It’s important to thaw them quickly, but you’ll want to do so in the right way to prevent damage.

Locate The Pipe

Cold water not coming out of a faucet is a sign you have a frozen pipe. If you have one frozen pipe, you may also have other ones. If it’s an exposed pipe, you might see the frozen section. It may have frost on it, or the section may be a slight bulge.

If the pipe is inaccessible or you can’t find the frozen section, contact a plumber. Drainworks Plumbing & Septic LLC in Columbia, CT, can help you with frozen pipes. We offer upfront pricing and safe, effective results.

Open The Faucet

Open the faucet that the frozen pipe feeds water into. Both the hot and cold handles should be opened. Doing this relieves pressure in your plumbing system and allows water to escape once it begins flowing.

Begin The Thawing Process

Begin by thawing the pipe section nearest to the faucet and work your way back. This makes it so that melting ice can make it to the open faucet. If you start thawing where the pipe is frozen, you can create pressure and cause the pipe to burst.

How To Thaw A Frozen Pipe

You can apply heat to a frozen pipe in several ways. A hair dryer is the simplest way to do so. You can also set a heat lamp or portable space heater by the pipe. Another method is to dip a towel in hot water and wrap it around the pipe. If nothing else works, apply electrical heating tape to the pipe. Doing this distributes heat across the pipe.

Drainworks Plumbing & Septic LLC is a company that can help you with any plumbing, septic, or drain issue. Our services include hydro jetting, septic pumping, septic repair, drain cleaning, pipe repair, basement waterproofing, and more. Call us today to schedule an appointment in Columbia.