Are your pipes frozen? Here’s what you need to do right now

If the water does not come out of the tap right now, there is a good chance that your pipes will be frozen. But this does not necessarily mean that the pipes are broken, cracked or broken. There are a few steps you can take right now to help prevent damage in the next few days.

Tim Jordan, Abacus’s plumbing service manager for plumbing and air conditioning and electricity, says the Abacus team is busy answering calls from customers. Here’s what he says you should do right now.

If you haven’t already, turn off the water at home immediately.

Do not attempt to defrost the pipes without shutting off the main shut-off valve. This way, if you have a pipe explosion, the damage would be limited, as there will be no water to feed the leak.

If you can, fill the tub with water before turning it off.

(You may not run water to do this.) Even if the water in your home is turned off, you can still flush the toilet if you have water to add to the tank at the top.

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Turn on the bathtub tap or main line in the house.

In this way, when the pipes start to thaw, there is an opening for water to drain without increasing the pressure in the pipes. Pressure in the pipes can cause breaks.

“If the pipes are underground, it is less likely that the pipe will be broken. It could be a pipe that is frozen in the attic, for example, pipes that go to the water heater “, said Jordan.

Should you try to defrost the pipes yourself?

There are conflicting reports if trying to defrost the pipes is a good idea. You may have heard of people using blow dryers or heating pads to defrost frozen pipes. Jordan says that to prevent damage to pipes, it does NOT recommend people try to defrost their own pipes.

Your pipes are more likely to come out of this uninterrupted or cracked if you let them thaw on their own when the weather warms up.

The thawing process can be when the biggest problems occur

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“When it starts to heat up, then we’ll start to see more problems because the pipes are thawing,” Jordan said. “When the pipe thaws, the pressure caused by the water begins to rush through the pipe and could cause the pipe to break.”

The pressure of unfrozen water between the ice and the closed tap is the main cause of ruptures in the frozen pipes. (This is also why stopping the main water is a good idea.)

How do I know if I should call a plumber for help?

Of course, if you have visible signs of pipe damage, call an installer. You should also call if you see water puddling outside or even from the ceiling or walls. You may have to wait! Jordan (with Abacus Plumbing) says that they are very busy right now and that all the installers will be. He advises people to get on a list now so that a plumber can come out and help as soon as possible.