What Should You Do If You Think a Pipe Is Frozen?

If you think a pipe is frozen, know where your shutoff valve is, keep the faucet it feeds open and never use an open flame to warm the pipe. If the pipe is hidden in a wall, looks cracked or starts leaking as it warms, shut off the water and call a plumber.

A frozen pipe is not always a burst pipe, but it can become one. Ice can split a pipe or loosen a joint, and the damage often shows up only once the water starts moving again. Handling it carefully can help you avoid needing professional burst pipe repair on top of the freeze.

Signs a Pipe May Be Frozen

The most common sign is a faucet that gives only a trickle or no water during freezing weather while other fixtures work. You may also see frost on an exposed pipe or notice that a pipe running along an exterior wall feels very cold.

These signs do not prove a pipe is frozen. A closed valve, a problem with the fixture or a building-wide issue can look similar, so it helps to check other faucets and ask building staff in an apartment.

What to Do First

Find your shutoff valve before the pipe thaws, in case a crack starts leaking. NYC DEP’s guidance on protecting pipes from freezing suggests opening a faucet near the frozen point so water and vapor have somewhere to go as the ice melts.

Warm the space around the pipe by turning up the heat or opening cabinet doors so warmer air can reach it. Watch the pipe and the area below it closely as it warms.

What Not to Do

Never use a torch, lighter or any open flame on a frozen pipe. DEP warns this is a fire hazard and can cause a steam explosion. Avoid putting heaters close to walls, cabinets or anything that can burn.

Do not hit or bend a frozen pipe to break up the ice, and do not cut into a wall to reach a hidden pipe. Both can turn a frozen pipe into a burst one.

When to Call a Plumber

Call for help if the frozen pipe is inside a wall, ceiling or floor, if you cannot find or reach a shutoff, or if you see a crack, bulge or leak. A pipe that thaws and then leaks has likely been damaged and will need repair.

In an apartment, tell your super or building management right away. Pipes in shared walls or cold common areas may affect more than one unit.

If you have a frozen or leaking pipe in the Bronx, call (929) 209-6183. Plumbing help is available 24/7, including nights, Sundays and holidays.