How to tell if a pipe is frozen
If it's below freezing outside and a faucet gives you nothing, or only a trickle, while other fixtures work normally, the line feeding it has very likely frozen. Other signs:
- frost on an exposed pipe in the basement, garage or crawlspace
- a section of pipe that looks bulged or swollen
- a toilet that won't refill after flushing
- odd smells from a drain, or clanking and whistling when you open a tap
A frozen pipe hasn't necessarily split, but it's at risk. The goal is to thaw it gently and confirm it's intact before the water flows again.
Where pipes freeze in Elmhurst homes
Pipes freeze where cold air reaches them, not just where it's coldest. In older suburban homes like many around Elmhurst, the usual trouble spots are:
- Kitchen and bathroom sinks on exterior walls, especially with closed cabinet doors keeping the warm air out
- Basement rim joists, where pipes run along the top of the foundation wall next to the outside air
- Crawlspaces and enclosed porches under additions
- Attached garages, including laundry hookups on a garage wall
- Outdoor hose spigots and the short pipe feeding them through the wall
These are also the places where frozen pipes most often go on to burst. If one has already split, see our page on burst pipe repair in Elmhurst, IL for what the repair involves.
How to thaw a frozen pipe safely
If you can see the frozen section and there's no sign of a split, you can try thawing it yourself:
- Open the faucet the pipe feeds, both hot and cold. Running water helps melt the ice and relieves pressure.
- Apply gentle heat with a hair dryer, a heating pad, or warm towels. Start near the faucet and work back toward the frozen area.
- Keep going until full pressure returns, then check the pipe and the area around it for drips.
- Never use an open flame, a propane torch or a charcoal heater. They can start a fire or overheat the pipe. Keep space heaters away from anything flammable and never leave them running unattended.
Stop and call for help if you can't find the frozen section, it's inside a wall or ceiling, the pipe is visibly cracked, or water starts leaking as it thaws. If you see any leak, shut off the main water valve first.
What a plumber does about a frozen pipe
Frozen pipe repair is part thawing, part inspection. A plumber will typically:
- Locate the frozen section, sometimes with a thermal camera when it's hidden inside a wall
- Thaw it with professional equipment, such as heat guns or a pipe-thawing machine designed for metal pipe
- Check for splits and repair any damage before restoring full pressure
- Recommend ways to stop it happening again, such as insulation, heat cable, rerouting a line away from an outside wall, or installing a frost-free outdoor spigot
Freeze damage isn't always obvious right away. A hairline split can stay dry while the line is frozen and only start leaking once water flows. If you notice damp drywall or a drop in pressure in the days after a thaw, have it checked. That's often a hidden leak, covered on our water leak repair page.
How to keep pipes from freezing
The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), cited by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, recommends these steps. They're especially worth doing before a forecast deep freeze:
- Keep the thermostat at a steady temperature day and night, and leave the heat on when you travel
- Insulate exposed pipes in basements, crawlspaces, attics and garages
- Seal drafts and gaps around pipes where they pass through exterior walls
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls during extreme cold
- Let faucets on vulnerable lines drip slightly so water keeps moving
- Disconnect garden hoses, then shut off and drain outdoor spigots before winter
- Keep the garage door closed if water lines run through the garage
If the same pipe freezes every winter, the long-term fix is usually rerouting or replacing that run with better-protected pipe.