How to Prevent Frozen Pipes

There are several simple remedies to keep water pipes from freezing when the weather turns severely cold, as well as several remedies that can be costly. In either case, the idea is to prevent cold air from entering or to warm the area where cold air can't be stopped from entering. If pipes freeze check for pinhole leaks or cracks (after they've thawed) that can cause serious water damage to the home.

Here are ways to keep pipes from freezing in the first place:

1. Leave the cabinet doors under the kitchen sink open so that the room air can warm the pipes.

2. Place a lamp with a 60-watt bulb in the potential problem area to warm the walls and pipes. Make sure there are no combustible materials near the bulb.

3. Caulk and seal around doors, windows, house taps and outside taps.

(Source: http://www.hgtv.com/home-improvement/tips-to-keep-pipes-from-freezing/index.html)

Take Measures to Prevent Pipe Freezing When it's Cold

On extremely cold days, residents should take extra precautions to prevent pipes from freezing. One way to prevent pipes from freezing is to keep the water moving through the pipes.

To keep water flowing through pipes to avoid freezing, leave several taps turned on, with a flow that's just slightly more than a heavy drip. It's important to leave several different taps running, as sections of piping can freeze, cutting off the water supply to entire sections of the home (i.e. the entire second floor). Leaving several taps running slightly will also pull in more water though the main pipe running into the home - the pipe that is most likely to freeze in many homes.

Frozen Pipes

A frozen pipe could burst due to thawed water to come pouring from the break. The following steps describe what you should do as soon as you discover a frozen pipe:

1. Turn off the water supply - Turn off the main stop tap. You should find this under the kitchen sink or where the service pipe enters your home. Turn off the stopcock in your cold water tank if you have one, it's usually found in the attic or loft.

2. Beat the burst - Protect everything around the pipe that appears to be frozen to avoid damage if it bursts.

3. Thawing out - Open the tap nearest to the part of the pipe you think is frozen so the water can flow through when it has melted.

Thaw the ice in the pipe with a hot water bottle or hairdryer (taking care to keep it well away from any water), beginning from the tap end and working back toward the cold water tank. This will keep steam from being trapped by ice and bursting the pipe. With the faucet open, you can see when the ice has melted. Never use a heat gun or blow torch.