Thawing Frozen Pipes To Prevent Water Damage Repair in Springfield Missouri
15 Feb 2018

Thawing Frozen Pipes To Prevent Water Damage Repair in Springfield Missouri

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Thawing Frozen Pipes To Prevent Water Damage Repair

Colder weather increases the risk of frozen pipes. A small crack in a water pipe can spew hundreds of gallons of water per day, causing flooding, serious structural damage, and the immediate potential for mold. Frozen pipes are one of the biggest risks of property damage when the temperature drops. If your home is one of the hundreds of thousands affected by frozen pipes each year, here are some tips to thaw a frozen pipe and prevent costly water damage repair in Springfield Missouri.

Find the Frozen Pipe

The first step to thawing a frozen pipe is to determine which pipe if frozen. Turn on all faucets in your home. Check which faucet isn’t releasing water at all or just a trickle. The pipe leading to that faucet is likely frozen.

Open the Faucet

Turn on both the hot and cold handles of the located frozen pipe. This will help relieve some of the pressure in the system and this will allow water to flow once you start thawing the pipe.

Begin the Thawing Process

When thawing a frozen pipe, the best practice is to start closer to the faucet then work your way down to the frozen section. If you start closer to the blockage, the melting ice could get stuck behind the blockage. This creates more pressure in the pipe and increases the chances of the pipe breaking.

There are several ways to thaw pipes that you can access:
1. Point a hair dryer at the frozen pipe, starting near the faucet. Follow proper safety precautions for the dryer and avoid coming in contact with water when using the dryer.
2. Wrap hot towels, which have been dipped in hot water, around the frozen pipe. This method is slower, but potentially safer option.
3. Apply electric heat tape directly to the pipe. This tape insulates the pipe, defrosting it. You can leave the heat tape on the pipe and turn it on and off when needed.

Thawing Enclosed Pipes

You can thaw pipes that you don’t have direct access to in different ways:
1. Turn the heat up in your home and wait until the increased interior temperature thaws out the frozen pipe.
2. Position an infrared lamp in front of the portion of the wall where the frozen pipe is located. The heat from the lamp can penetrate the wall and help the pipe defrost.
3. As a last resort, cut out the section of the drywall in front of the frozen pipe to easily access it. You can then use one of the methods for thawing exposed pipes.

Be Safe

Make sure to take proper safety measures when using electrical equipment. In addition, if you don’t start thawing near the faucet, the pipe could burst and cause water to flow into your home. When trying to thaw a frozen pipe yourself using a heat source, you run the risk of injury and fire.

If your home has experienced frozen pipes and needs professional water damage restoration in Springfield Missouri, call the leaders in any property damage repairs ranging from frozen pipes, fire and smoke damage, sewage backups or mold remediation. The professionals at PuroClean Certified Restoration are “The Paramedics of Property Damage” and we’re always available 24/7 to return your life back to normal.