If your pipes are frozen, act quickly but carefully so you don’t cause a burst or a fire hazard.

First: Safety and Damage Control

  • Turn off the main water supply to the house in case a pipe bursts while thawing.
  • Turn off power to any area where you see leaks near electrical outlets, lights, or appliances, and keep away from standing water near electricity.
  • If you already see a split pipe, bulge, or water damage, stop DIY work and call an emergency plumber and, if serious, your home insurer.

How to Tell If Pipes Are Frozen

  • Little or no water coming from one or more faucets or toilets during a freeze is a classic sign.
  • You might see frost or ice on exposed sections of pipe (basement, crawlspace, attic, garage, under sinks, outside walls).
  • Some pipes may feel very cold to the touch or you may hear strange gurgling when you open a tap.

What To Do Step by Step

  1. Open faucets connected to the frozen line
    • Turn the affected taps to a slow trickle (both hot and cold if it’s a mixer tap). This relieves pressure and gives melted water somewhere to go.
  1. Locate the frozen section (if possible)
    • Check unheated areas first: crawlspace, basement, garage, exterior walls, under kitchen/bathroom sinks.
 * If multiple fixtures don’t work, the freeze may be near the main supply; if just one, it’s probably on the branch to that fixture.
  1. Warm the area around the pipe (not just the pipe)
    • Turn up the home’s heat and open cabinet doors under sinks so warm air can circulate.
 * Use space heaters in nearby rooms if safe, keeping them away from flammable materials.
  1. Thaw accessible pipes gently
    Safe options:
 * Hair dryer: Move it slowly along the pipe from the faucet side back toward the frozen area.
 * Space heater: Place nearby (not touching), supervised, with good clearance.
 * Warm towels: Soak towels in hot (not boiling) water, wring out, wrap around the pipe, and replace as they cool.
 * Commercial heat tape: Only if it is UL‑listed and used exactly as directed.

Never do this:

 * Do not use a blowtorch, propane torch, open flame, charcoal grill, or heat gun on high.
 * Do not pour boiling water directly on plastic pipes or fittings.
  1. Watch and listen as it thaws
    • As ice melts, water should start to drip and then flow from the open taps.
 * Check along the pipe for new leaks, dripping, or wet spots on walls/ceilings—these can mean a hidden crack.
  1. If you find a leak or burst
    • Turn off the main water valve immediately if it isn’t already off.
 * Open all taps to drain remaining water out so it doesn’t keep feeding the leak.

 * Mop up or towel up standing water to limit damage and mold.

 * Call a plumber; fixing or replacing the damaged section is not a DIY job for most people.
  1. If you can’t find or safely reach the frozen pipe
    • Keep the affected taps slightly open and the house heated.
    • Call a licensed plumber—many use electric thawing machines and can clear a line in minutes.

What NOT To Do

  • Don’t ignore it and “wait for spring” – pipes can burst as they thaw, causing major flooding.
  • Don’t close all faucets while thawing; closed systems build pressure and are more likely to burst.
  • Don’t chip at ice on the pipe with tools; you can crack the pipe or fittings.
  • Don’t leave space heaters or heat lamps unattended or too close to combustibles.

After Things Start Flowing Again

  • Keep the heat on and cabinet doors open for several hours so pipes fully warm up.
  • Check all visible pipes, ceilings, and walls again for damp patches that might reveal a slow leak.
  • Take photos of any damage and contact your insurer promptly if you had a burst.

Preventing Frozen Pipes Next Time

  • Insulate exposed pipes in basements, crawlspaces, attics, garages, and along exterior walls.
  • Seal gaps and cracks where cold air enters around pipes, sill plates, and penetrations.
  • Disconnect garden hoses, drain outdoor taps, and use insulated hose bib covers.
  • In very cold snaps, let faucets drip slightly and keep the thermostat at a steady temperature (at least about 55°F/13°C, often higher in very cold regions).
  • If you’re traveling in winter, keep the heat on and consider shutting off and draining the main water line.

Mini “Story” Example

Imagine you wake up on a freezing January morning and the kitchen tap only hisses. You open the cabinet, feel an icy‑cold pipe, and see a dusting of frost. You shut off the main water, open the kitchen and bathroom faucets, aim a hair dryer at the pipe from the tap backward, and crank up the heat in the room. After 20 minutes, the faucet starts to drip, then run; you spot no leaks, leave cabinets open all day, and that evening you wrap the pipe with insulation so you don’t relive the scare.

SEO Notes (for your post)

  • Try to naturally include phrases like “if your pipes are frozen what do you do” , “frozen pipes winter,” and “what to do when pipes freeze” in headings and intro paragraphs.
  • Short sections, bullet lists, and clear step headings (“Turn Off the Water,” “Thaw the Pipe Safely”) tend to rank and read well.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.