Are your pipes frozen? Here’s what you need to do now

If the water is not coming out of the tap right now, there is a good chance that your pipes are frozen. But that does not necessarily mean that your pipes are broken, cracked or broken. There are a few steps you can take now to help prevent damage in the coming days.

Tim Jordan, plumbing services manager at Abacus Plumbing, air conditioning and electricity, says the Abacus team is busy taking calls from concerned customers. Here’s what it says you should do now.

If you have not already done so, immediately turn off the water in your home.

Do not attempt to defrost pipes without turning off the main shut-off valve. Thus, if a pipe breaks, damage will be limited, as there will be no water to feed the leak.

If you can, fill the bathtub with water before turning it off.

(You may not have water flowing to do this.) Even if the water for your home is closed, you can still flush it if you have water to add to the tank at the top.

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Open the bathtub tap or the main line of the house.

This way, when the pipes start to thaw, there is an opening for the water to drain without increasing the pressure in the pipes. Pressure in the tubes can cause ruptures.

“If your pipes are underground, the pipe is less likely to be broken. It could be a pipe that is frozen in the attic, for example, pipes that go to the water heater, ”said Jordan.

Should you try to defrost the pipes yourself?

There are conflicting reports if trying to defrost your pipes is a good idea. You may hear of people using hair dryers or heating pads to thaw frozen pipes. Jordan says that to avoid damaging the pipes, they are NOT recommending that people defrost their own pipes.

Your pipes are more likely to come out whole or cracked if you let them thaw on their own when the weather gets hot.

The defrosting process can occur when the biggest problems arise

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“When it starts to heat up, we will start seeing more problems because the pipes are melting,” said Jordan. “When the pipe defrosts, the pressure caused by the water starts to flow through the pipe and can cause it to break.

The thawed water pressure between the ice and the closed tap is the main cause of breakage in frozen pipes. (This is also why turning off the main water is a good idea.)

How do I know if I should call a plumber for help?

Of course, if you have any visible signs of damage to the pipes, call a plumber. You should also call if you see water pooling outside or even from the ceiling or walls. You may have to wait! Jordan (with Abacus Plumbing) says that they are very busy right now and that all the plumbers will be. He advises people to make a list now for a plumber to come and help as quickly as possible.