Every January cold snap, our emergency line fills with the same call: a pipe froze overnight, thawed by noon, and now there's water where water should not be. Almost all of it is preventable.
Before the freeze
- Disconnect garden hoses and shut off exterior spigots from inside if you have a shutoff. A connected hose traps water that freezes back into the wall.
- Insulate exposed pipes in crawl spaces, garages, and exterior walls. Foam sleeves are a few dollars at any hardware store.
- Seal drafts near pipes — a winter wind through a crack can freeze a pipe in an otherwise warm basement.
- Know where your main shutoff is. Tonight. Before you need it in a panic.
During a hard freeze (below ~15°F)
- Let vulnerable faucets drip slowly — moving water resists freezing.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
- Keep the thermostat at 55°F or above, even when traveling.
If a pipe bursts: the first five minutes
- Shut off the main water valve. This is the whole game — every minute of flow is gallons into your home.
- Kill electricity to affected areas at the breaker if water is near outlets.
- Open faucets to drain remaining pressure from the lines.
- Call us: (513) 510-0568 — we answer 24/7 and average about an hour to your door.
Frozen but not burst? Shut off water to that section before thawing. Pipes most often split while freezing but only leak after thawing — controlled thawing with the water off can save the wall.
If you've already had one freeze scare, ask about pipe insulation or re-routing during your next visit — or join the Advantage Plan and we'll flag freeze risks in your annual inspection.