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Frozen pipes are a relatively common problem that many homeowners have. Here’s what you need to know in case they happen to you.
How Do You Know if Your Pipes are Frozen?
If you turn on a faucet and nothing comes out after a cold spell, there’s a good chance you have a frozen pipe. You may have a partially frozen pipe if you have a trickle of water when you should have a lot more.
How to Find Frozen Pipes
Follow the pipes back from the malfunctioning faucet until you find one with condensation or frost on it. You may want to test other faucets to determine whether the frozen pipe is nearby or is a few junctions back from the faucet.
How to Thaw Frozen Pipes
You’ll need to be careful when thawing frozen pipes. Don’t use a torch or an open flame as it can damage the pipe. Instead, wrap the pipe in a heating pad or heating tape or set a space heater nearby.
How to Thaw Frozen Pipes in a Wall
Turn up the thermostat and wait. You can also aim an infrared heater at the section of wall with the pipe behind it. You may have to cut through the wall if these methods don’t work.
How to Thaw Frozen Pipes Underground
Call us at Lightfoot and we’ll aim a jet of water down your frozen pipe until it thaws out. Don’t try to do this yourself or you may do more damage.
How to Fix Frozen Pipes
If the pipes haven’t burst, then unfreezing them will fix the problem. If they have burst, call in one of our experienced plumbers from Lightfoot to take care of the problem fast. We’ll get the broken section of pipe replaced fast.
How to Prevent Frozen Pipes
There are several things you can do to prevent frozen pipes:
- Add insulation to your home
- Keep the thermostat turned up higher
- Wrap pipes that tend to freeze in self-heating tape
If you have any more questions about frozen pipes, call us at Lightfoot Mechanical today!