What to do if water pipes freeze when the weather is cold We tend to take it for granted that water pipes will always carry water around our home with no problems. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. During spells of cold weather, it’s possible for the water in the pipes to freeze. When water freezes it expands,, often causing the pipe to crack. Of course, the water does not stay frozen once the temperature increases. As soon as it starts to melt, it can leak through the cracks in the pipe. Sometimes the pipe bursts, and a considerable amount of damage is caused.

This is not a situation that you want to happen. The best thing to do is to try and stop the water in the pipes freezing in the first place. What to do to prevent pipes from freezing The most obvious place for pipes to freeze is outside of your home. You may have pipes that lead to a sprinkler system or a swimming pool. You do not need to supply water to a pool or a sprinkler system during cold weather, so it’s a good idea to drain these pipes.

Even though these pipes are the most likely to freeze, you still need to pay attention to water pipes inside your home; especially those in areas which are not heated. Making sure that you insulate these pipes can help to stop the water inside them from freezing. What to do if the water freezes in a pipe If you are unlucky enough to experience problems with water freezing in the pipe, there are steps that you should follow and how to thaw your pipes when they freeze this winter.

• Make sure you turn on the tap before you start to thaw the pipe. Doing so helps to make the process quicker.
• Find out where the water is frozen.
• Put a heating pad in place, to thaw the water. If you do not have a heating pad you can use a hairdryer.
• Make sure that water is not frozen in any other pipes.

You should be able to thaw the water in the pipe, but you may need to be patient. If you struggle to solve the problem, you can seek professional help; learn more here. The most important thing is that you do not ignore the problem. If you do, there is more likely to be serious damage to the pipe. It’s vital that the water pipes in your home are kept in good order. This includes draining unused external pipes when the weather is cold, and making sure vulnerable pipes are insulated.

Make sure that you check for any issues with frozen pipes, and that you ensure the thawing process is commenced as soon as possible. If you take care of water pipes, you should be able to avoid issues with freezing, but if they do happen, and you cannot deal with them yourself, you should call a professional, as soon as possible.

Have you ever had your pipes freeze in the winter? What did you do? I would love to hear! Please share below!