How to Thaw Your Frozen Water Pipes What to Do if Your Water Pipes Freeze Frozen water pipes can cause lots of damage fast. If you suspect that one of your pipes has frozen water, you absolutely need to unfreeze it right away. How do you do that? The instructions below will help. Find the Frozen Water Pipes First of all, you’ll need to find the frozen water pipes. If you already know which pipe has frozen, skip this step and move on to the next one. Otherwise, start by turning on each of your home’s faucets, letting them drip. If you find a blocked faucet, then the frozen pipe is leading to that spot. Check the pipes that are directly under the faucet, and then follow the pipes until they disappear behind a wall. Still haven’t found the frozen spot? Look in your home’s uninsulated areas like the attic, crawlspace, and basement. You can find the frozen spot by looking for cracks and bulges. You can also feel for places that are colder than the rest, or tap on the pipes with a metal tool to find the spots that sound less hollow than the rest. Heat the Affected Areas Once you’ve found the frozen water pipes, you’ll want to heat them until the water can flow freely again. If you already have a leak in the pipes, then shut off the main water valve and call a pipe repair specialist. If the pipe isn’t damaged yet, then you can simply warm it until the water thaws. Don’t heat your pipes too fast. Use a slow, relatively gentle method like a hair dryer. Some pipe pieces can’t be exposed to extreme temperatures without sustaining damage. Prevent Further Damage Next, it’s important that you prevent more damage and frozen water pipes. Make sure that you keep your heat running. A lot of people keep their heaters running as low as possible to save money. However, your pipes need indoor heating, too. Keep your home warm enough to prevent frozen pipes. If you haven’t already turned on your faucets, go ahead and do that now. Let the faucets drip. Flowing water won’t freeze nearly as easily as standing water. Make sure that all of your pipes get enough heat exposure, and insulate any uninsulated areas. Get Help for Standing Water Damage If you have standing water damage from frozen water pipes, then you’ll need help for that, too. DC Water Restoration can take care of it. We handle extraction, cleanup, and much more. If you have water damage, contact us now. We’re ready to get your home safe and dry again. Call (757) 434-6263 Report Loss Online Report Loss Form Fill out our online report loss form for a quick quote response! Just click button below to get started! No matter how serious the situation, we will provide you emergency service that offers true peace of mind. All you need to do is call Water Damage Restoration & Reconstruction Experts of DC or email us to get a call back in seconds!