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DO YOU HAVE FROZEN PIPES?

Think a frozen pipe burst?

Call the frozen pipe experts now!

You can avoid burst pipes in the winter. Through simple steps, learn how to prepare your pipes and your home’s plumbing system for cold Cleveland winters.

Click here to view our Infographic on Preparing your Pipes for Winter!

WHY PIPES FREEZE

According to experts, as a general rule, outside temperatures must dip to 32 – 20 degrees or lower for pipes to freeze. But there are other factors that contribute to pipes freezing, such as:

Where you live
How old your home is
How well your home protects your water pipes

When temperatures drop below freezing, water inside your water pipes can transform from liquid to ice. When this happens, pipes endure a tremendous amount of radial expansion pressure against their inside walls.

Keep in mind: Pipes can freeze and not burst. A break or burst usually won’t occur where the ice blockage forms.

When a pipe freezes and contends with an ice blockage, it is the continued freezing and expansion of ice that creates an increase in water pressure between the ice blockage and a closed faucet. This increase in pressure leads to a burst pipe.

SIGNS OF A FROZEN PIPE

Should you experience any of the following, you might have frozen pipes:

Strange smells from the faucet or drain
Decrease in water pressure
Lack of running water or very little running water
Water is not at the right temperature
Frost on pipes

HOW TO ADDRESS OR PREVENT FROZEN PIPES

Did you know a cracked or burst pipe can result in flooding, structural damage, and a quick onset of mold? Even an 1/8-inch crack in a pipe can gush up to 250 gallons of water a day.

If you suspect you have a frozen pipe, it’s important to remain calm and take the necessary steps to protect your home and prevent further damage.

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes:

To decrease your chances of having to deal with a frozen or burst pipe, it all starts with prevention.

Before the cold weather sets in:

Unhook, drain, and store all water hoses.
Cover all outdoor spigots and exterior water pipes (like a sprinkler system or swimming pool supply lines) with insulated sleeves.
If you have water pipes that run through your attic, basement, or crawl spaces, cover them with insulated pipe sleeves.
Watch the weather forecast to stay extra vigilant on cold days and even colder nights.

When the temperatures drop below freezing:

Drip water from all faucets and open cabinet doors in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room to better expose pipes to the home’s heat.
Keep your garage door closed if it has a water supply pipe in it.
Keep your thermostat set above 55 degrees whenever you leave home.
Familiarize yourself with your home’s main water shut-off valve.
Consider installing a water leak detector. Many devices are inexpensive, easy to set-up, and offer alerts to potential water issues in your home.

How to Thaw Frozen Pipes:

While a frozen pipe is an urgent situation you need to act quickly on, it is just as important to thaw a frozen pipe correctly.

Locate the frozen pipe(s). Do this by turning on the faucets in your home and seeing which ones still deliver water, or just a slight trickle.
Open the faucets – both the hot and cold handles – that the frozen pipe feeds water into to help relieve pressure in the pipe and allow water to escape once the pipe is thawed.
Begin the thawing process by thawing closest to the faucet and working your way toward the blockage.

Some effective pipe thawing options include using a:

Air Dryer
Space Heater
Electrical Heating Tape
Hot Towel

How to Handle a Burst Pipe:

Because Northeast Ohio winters can get incredibly cold, even some prevention strategies can’t completely stop a pipe from freezing and bursting.

If you are dealing with a burst pipe, take these steps immediately:

Shut off the water main to reduce pressure on pipes and to minimize flooding.
Open, or turn on, several faucets throughout the house to remove pressure from the water lines.
Call Invisible Excavations – a team of licensed plumber who offer 24/7 emergency service – to assess your situation and immediately begin repairing the ruptured pipes.
For insurance purposes, take photos of the burst pipe and any damage that the pipe(s) caused, such as structural damage and/or property damage.
Start to remove water or manage any persistent leak.
Clean and dry all affected property, including walls, floors, carpet, furniture, and more to prevent mold and mildew from forming.

LICENSED EMERGENCY SERVICE FOR FROZEN PIPES

The extreme cold combined with the Cleveland area wind chill puts many Northeastern Ohio homes at risk for frozen pipes. With so much potential for damage, calling a licensed plumber the minute you suspect you have frozen pipes can save you time, hassle, and money. Proudly serving all of Northeast Ohio, Invisible Excavations has the most advanced equipment and experience to offer expert pipe repair. We will quickly get your plumbing back in working order.

FROZEN PIPES FAQS

Will frozen pipes thaw on their own?

While frozen pipes can, technically, slowly thaw on their own, it’s never advised to allow frozen pipes to thaw on their own. Why? When a pipe freezes, you need to act fast because major damage more than likely will occur the longer they remain frozen.

How long does it take for pipes to unfreeze?

It all depends on the pipe, location of the pipe, temperature outside and your DIY methods. Most DIY methods for unfreezing pipes can get water flowing again in about a half an hour to an hour.

Do frozen pipes always burst?

No, a frozen pipe will not always crack or burst. Again, for a frozen pipe to lead to a burst pipe, it depends on the pipe, location of the pipe, and temperature outside. Acting quickly to thaw a frozen pipe should always be priority.

How do you know if your pipes are frozen?

Some signs to help you determine if you have frozen pipes include:

Strange smells from the faucet or drain
Decrease in water pressure
Lack of running water or very little running water
Water is not at the right temperature
Frost on pipes

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Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked up one of the more obscure Latin words, consectetur, from a Lorem Ipsum passage, and going through the cites of the word in classical literature, discovered the undoubtable source. Lorem Ipsum comes from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero, written in 45 BC. This book is a treatise on the theory of ethics, very popular during the Renaissance. The first line of Lorem Ipsum, “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..”, comes from a line in section
Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked up one of the more obscure Latin words, consectetur, from a Lorem Ipsum passage, and going through the cites of the word in classical literature, discovered the undoubtable source. Lorem Ipsum comes from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero, written in 45 BC. This book is a treatise on the theory of ethics, very popular during the Renaissance. The first line of Lorem Ipsum, “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..”, comes from a line in section
Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked up one of the more obscure Latin words, consectetur, from a Lorem Ipsum passage, and going through the cites of the word in classical literature, discovered the undoubtable source. Lorem Ipsum comes from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero, written in 45 BC. This book is a treatise on the theory of ethics, very popular during the Renaissance. The first line of Lorem Ipsum, “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..”, comes from a line in section
Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked up one of the more obscure Latin words, consectetur, from a Lorem Ipsum passage, and going through the cites of the word in classical literature, discovered the undoubtable source. Lorem Ipsum comes from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero, written in 45 BC. This book is a treatise on the theory of ethics, very popular during the Renaissance. The first line of Lorem Ipsum, “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..”, comes from a line in section Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked up one of the more obscure Latin words, consectetur, from a Lorem Ipsum passage, and going through the cites of the word in classical literature, discovered the undoubtable source. Lorem Ipsum comes from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero, written in 45 BC. This book is a treatise on the theory of ethics, very popular during the Renaissance. The first line of Lorem Ipsum, “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..”, comes from a line in section
Contrary to popular belief, Lorem Ipsum is not simply random text. It has roots in a piece of classical Latin literature from 45 BC, making it over 2000 years old. Richard McClintock, a Latin professor at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, looked up one of the more obscure Latin words, consectetur, from a Lorem Ipsum passage, and going through the cites of the word in classical literature, discovered the undoubtable source. Lorem Ipsum comes from sections 1.10.32 and 1.10.33 of “de Finibus Bonorum et Malorum” (The Extremes of Good and Evil) by Cicero, written in 45 BC. This book is a treatise on the theory of ethics, very popular during the Renaissance. The first line of Lorem Ipsum, “Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet..”, comes from a line in section