Prevent or Thaw Frozen Pipes

If your water pipes freeze and then burst, the amount of damage to your home can be catastrophic. Insulating pipes is perhaps the easiest and least expensive do-it-yourself project to prevent damage to your home during the winter months.

If your pipes have already frozen, don’t fret. There are some steps you can take to thaw frozen pipes and ensure that they don’t burst.

Visit your local True Value hardware store for the tools, products and expert advice you need to keep your pipes from freezing or bursting. Then follow the steps below.

Insulate Pipes

Insulation is the most effective way to prevent freezing. Adding insulation around accessible water pipes also makes your home more energy-efficient — which saves you money.

Step 1. Check Your Pipes
Look for water pipes that pass through unheated spaces, such as crawlspaces, garages and attics. Also, check the pipe leading directly from the hot-water heater. If they are not insulated, they are at risk.

Step 2. Take Measurements
Before you insulate, measure the outside diameter and length of each section of pipe. Be sure to check hot-water lines as well — these freeze slower than cold-water lines but are more likely to burst. Add up the lengths for each size of pipe and add about 10 percent more for waste or error.

• To figure the pipe's diameter, measure the circumference of the pipe with a cloth tape measure and divide that number by 3.14 (p) to determine the diameter. You will need to know the diameter when purchasing insulation.

Step 3. Get Insulation
Once you know what size and how much insulation you need, you can purchase various types of pipe insulation kits at your local True Value hardware store. Be sure adhesive tape or contact cement for sealing is included. The most widely available pipe insulation is tubular foam that is slit lengthwise to slip over existing pipes. However, tubes without slits (designed for installation over new piping) can easily be slit with a sharp utility knife.

Step 4. Insulate and Seal
Open the pipe insulation along the slit, press it onto the pipe, and seal it with an adhesive tape or contact cement to prevent summertime condensation.

• Double up. On particularly vulnerable sections of pipe use two insulating tubes: the first to fit the pipe diameter and the second to fit the outside diameter of the wrapped pipe.
• When using adhesive to bond seams, don't insulate pipes while they are hot, and (if possible) wait 36 hours before circulating hot water.

Step 5. Make Adjustments If Needed
When you’re covering areas where pipes meet, it will sometimes be necessary to make adjustments by cutting the insulation to fit. For best results, use a miter box and either a serrated knife or a hacksaw. Use a single-edged razor blade for detail cutting. After making the appropriate cuts and confirming a good fit, use adhesive tape to seal the joint.

Step 6. Insulate Valves and Seal
After insulating the straight sections of the pipe, you will need to protect the valves. Use preformed valve covers; they are the easiest and most effective method. Simply fit the two halves over the valves and seal the edges with adhesive tape. For hard-to-cover valves, you can use strips of foam or fiberglass that are designed to wrap around pipes or fittings.

To provide maximum protection for pipes that are highly vulnerable to freezing, electrical, pipe-heating cable is a great addition to foam insulation. Prior to adding foam insulation, the cable is simply attached to the pipe, either straight along or wrapped around the pipe, and connected to the power supply.

• If using electrical pipe heating cable, make sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for safe and proper installation.

For greater prevention against frozen pipes, do not set your thermostat below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Leave under-sink cabinet doors open at night or on very cold, windy days. Keep a heat lamp in a relatively confined space, but exercise caution. Disconnect outside hoses and lawn sprinklers during the winter months, and be sure to add outdoor faucet protectors to prevent faucets from freezing.

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Contrary to popular belief, expanding ice inside a pipe is not what causes a pipe to burst. It's the high water pressure that builds up between the blockage and the faucet as the ice continues to form — so the pipe doesn’t always burst where it is frozen. If you discover a frozen pipe, leave the sink valve open a bit to offer relief from the excessive pressure.

If you didn't get a chance to insulate before the first frozen days of winter, here are some other measures you can take to repair and/or thaw pipes, should the need arise.

Step 1. Look for Damage
Find out how much damage has occurred. Open the faucet at the end of the pipe and close the valve that runs into it. Check for holes, cracks or breaks along the pipe. If you find the pipe has been compromised, don't panic.

Step 2. Repair the Pipe
A pinhole can be repaired just by wrapping the pipe with electrical or duct tape. Cover a hairline crack with a pipe clamp.

For larger cracks, try repairing the pipe with a patch kit. Start by sanding the area around the break in the pipe with rough-grit sandpaper (at least an 80- or 100-grit). Wear rubber gloves and wet the patch, then wrap the patch around the pipe where it has burst. Start wrapping at the hole and work out from there; wrap at least 4 or 5 inches in both directions. Wrap it as tightly as possible and then press the patch down by hand to ensure a proper bond. Let the patch dry. You should be set.

For larger cracks you may need to replace that section of pipe, or have a plumber do it.

Step 3. Thaw the Pipe
If you've been able to repair the pipe without replacing it, thaw it by applying heat to the frozen section. Never use a torch. Instead use a hairdryer or heat gun on a low setting. You can also place a heat lamp or small electric heater near the pipe, wrap the pipe in heat tape or an electric blanket or even wrap towels around the pipe and pour hot water over them.

• When thawing a pipe that may have burst, look for a shut-off valve to that section of pipe. If necessary, shut off the main water supply to prevent flooding as it thaws.

• When using heat from a hairdryer, heat gun, heat lamp or electric heater, please be aware of wet floors and the potential danger of electric shock. Check the area. If you find potentially dangerous electrocution hazards or extensive damage to pipes, you may want to call a plumber for assistance.

Step 4. Insulate Pipes
Once you're sure your patch works, insulate your pipes to prevent a frozen pipe problem next winter.

Congratulations! You've just ensured that you’ll have no major pipe catastrophes that could flood your basement and cause major damage and the headaches that come with them. For all of your home projects, head to your local True Value hardware store for the tools, products and expert advice you need to start right.

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