What to Know and How to Prevent Pipes from Freezing

Keep your pipes warm & safe

When the weather gets colder, pipes can easily freeze and burst, causing water damage throughout your property. In fact, burst pipes are so common that water damage and freezing accounted for about 23% of insurance claims between 2017 and 2021. Luckily, you don’t have to be a plumber to know how to prevent your pipes from freezing. With a little time and a minimal budget, you can weatherproof your plumbing and ensure you’ll have running water and dry interiors all winter long. Here’s what you need to know.

The risk

Your pipes have water in them all the time. That constant pressure is what makes water flow when you turn on the tap. If water freezes, it expands. When that happens to water in an enclosed space like your pipes, it can rupture the pipe walls. 

The pipes most at risk of freezing in cold weather are those outdoors or in unheated spaces, like an attic or basement, but pipes in heated areas can freeze, too. So when the temperature drops, you’ll want to take a few simple steps to learn how to prevent pipes from freezing.

Signs of frozen pipes

If the weather drops before you have a chance to protect your pipes, you’ll want to keep an eye out for any signs of frozen pipes:

• Reduced water flow: If you get less water when you turn on the tap, it could be a sign your pipes are frozen.

• Unusually cold water: It’s normal for the temperature of your “cold” water to vary somewhat, but if it’s significantly colder than usual, it could be a sign of ice in your pipes.

• Unusual smells: An unusual odor coming from your faucet or drain could be a sign of a frozen pipe.

• Strange noises: If your pipes make a gurgling or banging sound, it could mean they have ice in them.

• Leaks: Leaky pipes could have frozen and burst.

• Water damage: Keep an eye out for signs of water damage on your walls or ceilings. This could indicate a burst pipe.

• Slow or blocked drains: A slow drain could be because of a frozen pipe.

• Frost or ice on pipes: Frost or condensation could indicate your pipes are frozen.

How to prevent pipes from freezing

The good news is it’s relatively easy to protect your pipes. So long as you plan ahead, you can keep most pipes from freezing in cold weather.

Insulate exposed pipes

First, you’ll want to insulate any exposed pipes. The pipes in your walls are insulated by the walls themselves and any insulation between them, but pipes in exposed areas need some attention. 

To insulate your exposed pipes, you can use pipe sleeves, pipe tape, insulation material or even newspaper. Simply wrap your pipes up in the insulating material of your choice, and make sure there aren’t any gaps at the bends, valves or fittings.

Also, be sure to cover your outdoor faucets or spigots with faucet covers for winter or a hard outdoor faucet cover. 

Keep the heat on

While it’s tempting to save money by lowering the heat, especially when no one is around, you’ll want to keep your thermostat set to at least 55 degrees to make sure pipes don’t freeze. Before you leave for the day, open up the cabinets and doors hiding pipes to keep warm air circulating around them. 

Let the water drip

Turn the tap just a little to let a drip of water come out and leave it dripping overnight. Water moving through the pipes will prevent ice from building up. Put a bowl under the tap to catch the drips and use that to water your plants!   

Drain outside taps

If you can, turn off the water to any outside spigots before cold weather hits, then open them up to drain the water out. 

Be ready to shut it all off

Know where your stop valve is located. If your pipes do burst, you’ll want to shut off the water immediately to prevent water damage.

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