Frozen pipes
moderate 1–2 h
Tools: hair dryer or heat gun on low, towels, bucket, space heater · Materials: foam pipe insulation for afterwards
Steps
- Open the affected tap so melting water and pressure have somewhere to go, then find the frozen section — often where a pipe runs along an outside wall, in a crawl space, or under a sink.
- Warm the pipe slowly from the tap end back toward the frozen spot with a hair dryer, warm towels, or a space heater in the room. Never use an open flame.
- Keep the tap running once flow returns and let it trickle until temperatures rise above freezing.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so room heat reaches the pipes.
- Once thawed, inspect the whole run for bulges or splits — ice expands pipes before it bursts them.
- Insulate the exposed run with foam sleeves before the next cold snap.
Stop and call a pro if
- you find a split or bulge — shut the main valve and call, because the leak starts when the ice finishes melting
- the frozen section is inside a wall or ceiling you cannot reach
- no water flows anywhere in the house — the main or meter may be frozen
What a pro does that you can't
A plumber thaws hidden runs with a pipe-thawing machine, replaces split sections the same day, and reroutes or insulates lines that freeze every winter.
DIY cost: $5–20 for pipe insulation