FAQ - FROZEN PIPES

How can I prevent my pipes from freezing?

If you have pipes in an unheated basement, attic, crawl space, or garage, cover them with a commercial insulation or wrap them with electric heating tape. This will temporarily help until you can call in a professional.

Disconnect all garden hoses and store them indoors. Failing to do so will trap water in the faucet or in the hose bib, which can cause damage when frozen. Properly turn off the inside valve and be sure to bleed the line. If you can't find your inside valve or don't have one, call us and we can solve the problem quickly.

Never leave your garage door open in cold weather. The cold air can freeze exposed pipes in no time at all.

Set your thermostat to 20 degrees C or higher on subzero days.

If your pipes freeze, it's not always a catastrophe. Unless they've burst, you don't have a problem. Just no water. The real trouble comes when you try to thaw them out.

No matter how tempting it seems, never use a torch to solve the problem. It presents a fire risk and it's also dangerous to apply intense heat to the middle of a pipe when both ends are frozen. A torch can cause the water to flash into steam and explode. The best method is to save yourself needless risk, grief and headache by calling a professional. This is a problem that can be tricky and messy for you, the homeowner. We can help.

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