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Why Do My Pipes Freeze?

Jan 5, 2018

One of the questions that we received from a friend was, “Does it really help to drip water from my faucet to prevent freezing?”.

Great question. The answer is yes.

It is always a good idea to drip water from your faucet to keep it from freezing in extremely cold weather. Water freezes at 32 degrees F and it expands while freezing causing a tremendous amount of pressure on pipes. A pipe can crack under this pressure. Drip water from your cold and hot water valves at around 5 drops a minute. It is always best to drip water from more than one source in your location as well. For example, drip water from your kitchen sink and from a faucet in a bathroom located on the opposite side of the house, if possible.

The following are additional ideas that will help prevent freezing pipes:

Dripping water reduces the pressure in your pipes. If there is no substantial pressure on the pipe, the pipe will not burst even if it freezes.
DO NOT turn off the water if the dripping stops.
Try to drip the water from faucets in the colder parts of your home.

Let’s imagine that you turn on your faucet and nothing comes out or a small trickle comes out, indicating that the pipes are already frozen. Here are some ways to help you to thaw frozen pipes:

DO NOT use an open flame to thaw your pipes.
Use a heat source such as a hair dryer, a heated towel, or even a small space heater to thaw your pipes. Once there is a bit of water flowing through the pipes, leave the water running. Running water may thaw the remaining ice in the pipes.
After your pipes have thawed, always remember to check for leaks.

Prevention is the key for taking care of your water lines. Always try to insulate your pipes if they are exposed to the weather. Don’t forget to drain and to detach your water hose from the outside water line.

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If you are having problems with freezing pipes, Shad’s Plumbing is here to help you today!

Contact us for a FREE quote via the secure form below!

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R.P. - Oxford, AL

We had a leak under the bathroom sink and needed a plumber. I ask on Facebook for a good and reasonable one. Someone recommended Shads Plumbing. I called and spoke with Steve and was told he would be out that evening. Steve showed up as promised and fixed the problem. He was totally friendly and knowledgeable. I truly was impressed with his quality of work and his professional manner of dealing with me his customer. I highly recommend Shads Plumbing for all your plumbing needs.

J.W. – Temple, GA

Had a pipe burst in my garage after these freezing temperatures started to rise, Steve was referred to me by a friend & neighbor, Called him at 4:30 pm on a Friday and told him my situation by 6:00 pm my busted pipe was fixed, Great response time from initial call until problem solved as well as reasonable rate, definitely will call him again with any future plumbing issues & would recommend anyone with a plumbing problem to give him a call!

D.R. – Villa Rica, GA

This is a great company. If you want the job done right call this company. I want to Thank you and all of your staff for job well done. I will be using this company again and he will be referred to friends and family. Shad’s Plumbing Honest, on time, reliable and good prices. If you need plumbing work done call Shad’s. 5 BIG STARS!!!!!

S.D. - Carrollton, GA

I just wanted to say “THANK YOU!!” again for coming to my house on a Sunday and fixing my kitchen sink!!! I went 5 days without the use of my sink! Tried to fix it myself lol but they came out and fixed it pretty quick! I will definitely recommend you guys to anyone who asks me who to call for any plumbing needs!!! Five stars!!!!!

B. H. - Tallapoosa, Ga

Called about an installation of a water heater. Shads plumbing came out promptly. They were very friendly and did a great job of removing my old hot water heater and installing my new hot water heater. I would highly recommend them to anyone who wants great service at a reasonable cost.

N.M. - Tallapoosa, GA

These guys are great!! I called Shad’s Plumbing and told them my issue. He was very informative and responded very quickly. He assessed the situation and explained to me my options and the cost. He fixed my sewage problem at a low cost. I was a very happy customer!

H.B. - Villa Rica, GA

We had a great experience doing business with Shad’s plumbing. They were quick to respond and repair our emergency situation. They also repaired a few other plumbing issues we had. I would recommend them for your plumbing needs.

J.W. - Bremen, GA

These guys were the best. They were very professional and courteous. I knew the shower installation was gonna be a hard task but they kept me informed every step of the way. I would recommend Shads Plumbing to anyone. They were great and actually saved me hundreds of dollars !! Thanks !!

M.B. - Carrollton, GA

I was very pleased with the quality of work, quick response, punctual, value and professionalism. The face bowl looks great and the kitchen drain no longer leaks. Woo hoo! I’m so pleased. Thank you, Mr. Steve, and your helper for all that you did today. God Bless.

R.W. - Tallapoosa, GA

We called Shads Plumbing to come out to look at some problems we were having. I met Steve and he walked me through some problems that he saw and explained to me in detail how he would fix them. He gave me an estimate of what I wanted done and he was a whole lot cheaper than others that I had called. They came out the next day and fixed all my problems. I was very impressed!! I would recommend Shads Plumbing to anyone who wants a job done right at a great cost.

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