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Do Frozen Pipes Burst?

Frozen pipes can certainly burst, but they don’t always burst. To understand this fact, let’s talk about how a burst pipe happens.

When water is flowing normally through a pipe the pipe can contain the water pressure held inside. However, when temperatures drop below 20 degrees and stay there, pipes run the risk of freezing. Most pipes can weather these conditions without issue. But pipes in areas of your home without effective insulation or in a home that has lost power (or even just during extreme cold snaps) may start to get too cold. As pipes get cold, they chill the water running through them, and if they get cold enough they can cause the water inside to freeze. Water that is just sitting is more likely to freeze than water that is moving, which is why initiation systems get the water inside blown out during the winterization process. However, this is not just an outdoor problem – it can affect inside pipes as well, which is why some homeowners opt to keep water trickling from their faucets during the coldest parts of the winter. By keeping water moving it is less likely to freeze.

Once water freezes, it expands. This is true no matter where water is, and it doesn’t pose a problem in an ice cube tray or a backyard pond, but it can spell big problems inside your pipes. When the water in a pipe freezes, it doesn’t have anywhere to go. It pushes outwards in any direction it can. Now, if the frozen water is a relatively small volume, the pipe may be able to accommodate this expansion without breaking. Or, if the freeze is discovered quickly, it can be thawed before any damage is done to the structural integrity of the pipe. But if there is a large amount of water or the pipe is older (and perhaps thinner or more brittle), it will crack the pipe. The longer a frozen pipe sits, the more damage typically results because the frozen blockage will grow as already frozen water freezes the water up against it in a process that can take over an entire section of pipe. As more water freezes inside of a larger section of pipe the likelihood of experiencing damage increases.

So, do frozen pipes burst? Yes. Do all frozen pipes always burst? No.

If you have a broken pipe, call a local plumbing company to come fix the issue right away!

Additional resources: 
Who Can Fix Broken Pipes in The Winter?
What to Do When a Pipe Bursts in Your Home
Will Frozen Pipes Break?
My Pipe Froze and Broke, What Now?
Plumbers for Winter Pipe Emergencies
Plumbers Nearby that Can Fix Frozen Pipes
Unfreezing Frozen Pipes
Do I have Frozen Pipes?
How Fast Can You Thaw Pipes?
Do Plumbers Thaw Pipes?
Common Winter Plumbing Problems for Homeowners
Can Cold Temperatures Damage Your Pipes?
Do Pipes Get Clogged More during The Winter?
Winter Plumbing Tips