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What Can a Plumber do for Frozen Pipes?

When your pipes are frozen it’s easy to panic! But instead, take a deep breath and remember that not all frozen pipes break. If you turn on your water in the winter and nothing happens, the water inside your pipes may be frozen, but unless you see or hear water spraying out, the structural integrity of the pipes have probably not been compromised yet. Your best bet at this point is to try to thaw the pipe. Open up any valves and turn on you faucets to give water a place to go when it thaws and then try to slowly heat the area to help the ice melt. Caution: do not use anything dangerous like a flame or iron! Instead, use indirect heat like a space heater or blow drier if you have access to the pipe from inside your home.

If the pipe has burst, it’s time to turn off the water and call a plumber. An emergency plumber will come out and assess the damage and then work on getting the broken portion of the pipe replaced. If you have significant water damage because of the broken pipe, you may also need a water restoration company to clean up the water so that mold does not grow. But first, you need to get the problem fixed to keep any more water from entering your home. If the broken pipe is outside like on a water spigot or in an irrigation system, the plumber may advise simply turning off water to that area temporarily and waiting until a plumber can come out during regular business hours to fix it.

When you have a frozen pipe that has burst, call your local plumbing company right away to understand your next steps!

Additional resources:
Get Help for a Burst Pipe
Is It a Plumbing Emergency?
Damage from a Burst Pipe
Do You Need an Emergency Plumber?
Next Steps after Finding a Burst Pipe
What Should You Do When a Pipe Breaks?
How Cold Does it Need to Be for Pipes to Burst?
Help! My Frozen Pipes Broke
Will a Frozen Pipe Break?
Difference Between Regular Plumbers and Regular Plumbers
Local Emergency Plumbing Companies
Understanding Emergency Plumbing Rates