Frozen Pipes? What to Do Right Now, and When to Call a Plumber

Updated October 2026 · 8 min read

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Quick answer: if a faucet gives only a trickle in freezing weather, a pipe is probably frozen. Keep that faucet open, find the frozen section, usually along an outside wall or in an unheated basement, crawl space, garage or under a sink, and warm it with a hair dryer, heating pad or towels soaked in hot water. Never use an open flame. If you can’t find the frozen spot, can’t reach it, or the pipe has cracked or burst, shut off the main water valve and call a plumber.

Signs your pipes are frozen

• Only a trickle, or no water at all, comes out of a faucet when it’s below freezing outside.
• Frost on a visible pipe, or a pipe that looks bulged.
• One faucet or toilet works and another doesn’t, especially one on an outside wall.
• Strange gurgling or banging when you open a tap.

Pipes that freeze most often are outdoor hose bibs, pipes in unheated basements, crawl spaces, attics and garages, pipes inside kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and pipes that run along outside walls with little insulation.

What to do right now: thaw a frozen pipe safely

1. Keep the faucet open. As the ice melts, running water helps melt the rest, and it relieves pressure in the pipe.
2. Find the frozen section. Follow the pipe back from the faucet that isn’t working. Check along exterior walls and where the water line enters the house through the foundation.
3. Warm the pipe gently. Use an electric hair dryer, an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, a portable space heater kept away from anything flammable, or towels soaked in hot water. Start warming nearest the faucet and work back toward the frozen area.
4. Keep heating until full water pressure returns.
5. Check every other faucet in the house. If one pipe froze, others may have too.

Never use a blowtorch, propane or kerosene heater, charcoal stove or any other open flame. They can start a fire, and a pipe heated too fast can burst.

Can’t find the frozen spot, or it’s inside a wall? Don’t cut into drywall or keep guessing. A plumber has the tools to locate and thaw it safely. Call +1 (877) 270-1778

If a pipe has burst: do these 5 things first

For the full checklist, see burst pipe: what to do right now.

A burst pipe can release hundreds of gallons of water quickly, so speed matters.

1. Shut off the main water valve. It’s usually where the water line enters the house: in the basement, crawl space, utility room or garage, or near the water heater. Turn it clockwise until it stops. Find it before winter so you’re not searching in an emergency. Here’s how to find your main water shut-off valve.
2. Turn off electricity to wet areas if water is near outlets, appliances or the electrical panel, but only if you can reach the breaker without standing in water.
3. Open the faucets to drain the remaining water and relieve pressure.
4. Move valuables and soak up standing water with towels, buckets or a wet vacuum.
5. Take photos of the damage before cleanup, for your insurance claim.

Then call a plumber to repair the pipe, and your insurance company. Many homeowner policies cover sudden pipe bursts, so check your policy and report it quickly.

Burst pipe or water spreading? Get a plumber on the way now. Call +1 (877) 270-1778

When to call a plumber for frozen pipes

You can often thaw an exposed pipe yourself. Call a plumber when:

• You can’t find the frozen section, or it’s inside a wall, ceiling or under the floor.
• The pipe is cracked, bulging or leaking, or it has burst.
• There’s no water anywhere in the house, which usually means the main line is frozen.
• Several pipes are frozen, or the same pipe freezes every winter.
• You’ve applied heat for a while and the water still isn’t flowing.
• You have well water, or pipes in a crawl space you can’t safely reach.

A plumber can find hidden frozen sections, thaw them without damaging the pipe, repair cracks before they flood, and add insulation or heat cable so it doesn’t happen again.

How much does a plumber charge for frozen pipes?

It depends on where the freeze is and whether the pipe was damaged. Thawing an easy-to-reach pipe costs much less than opening a wall or replacing a burst section, and nights, weekends and cold snaps can cost more because plumbers are in demand. Ask for the call-out fee and an estimate before work starts. Fixing a frozen pipe quickly is almost always cheaper than repairing water damage after it bursts.

Who should you call when pipes freeze?

Call a licensed plumber. If a pipe has burst and water has spread into floors, walls or ceilings, you may also need a water damage restoration company to dry the house and prevent mold, and you should call your home insurance company to start a claim. If the problem is in the water line before your meter, or in the street, call your water utility.

How to keep pipes from freezing again

Based on the American Red Cross’s advice on preventing and thawing frozen pipes:

• Let cold water drip from faucets on exposed pipes during very cold weather. Even a trickle helps.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors so warm air reaches the pipes. Move cleaning chemicals out of children’s reach.
• Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night during a cold snap.
• If you’re going away, leave the heat on, set no lower than 55°F.
• Disconnect and drain garden hoses. Close the indoor valve to outdoor faucets and leave the outside tap open to drain.
• Insulate pipes in attics, basements, crawl spaces and garages with pipe sleeves or UL-listed heat cable.
• Keep the garage door closed if water lines run through the garage.

For more cold-weather preparation, see Ready.gov’s winter weather guide.

Frozen pipes in an apartment: what to do

• Tell your landlord or property manager right away. In most rentals, the owner is responsible for the plumbing and for calling the plumber. Put it in writing with the time, so there’s a record.
• Open the faucet and the cabinet doors under the sink so warm air reaches the pipe, and gently warm it with a hair dryer if you can reach it.
• If water starts leaking, shut off the valve under the sink or behind the toilet. If you don’t know where your unit’s shutoff is, call maintenance immediately. Leaks spread to the units below.
• Can’t reach anyone and water is spreading? Get an emergency plumber out and keep the receipt. Call +1 (877) 270-1778

How to thaw frozen PVC or PEX pipes

Plastic pipes need gentler heat than copper. PVC softens and can crack if it gets too hot.

• Use a hair dryer on low or medium, a heating pad, or towels soaked in hot water.
• Keep the heat moving along the pipe instead of holding it in one spot.
• Don’t use a heat gun or any flame on plastic pipe.
• PEX (flexible plastic tubing) handles freezing better than PVC, but it can still split at fittings. Check the joints for drips once water is flowing again.

My kitchen pipes are frozen: what now?

Kitchen sink pipes often freeze because they run through a cabinet on an outside wall.

1. Open the cabinet doors under the sink and clear the space.
2. Open the kitchen faucet, both hot and cold.
3. Warm the pipes inside the cabinet with a hair dryer, or place a space heater a safe distance in front of the open cabinet, never inside it.
4. When water flows again, leave the cabinet doors open and let cold water drip overnight while it’s below freezing.

If the pipe runs inside the wall behind the cabinet and nothing changes after an hour, call a plumber rather than opening the wall yourself.

When will frozen pipes unfreeze on their own?

Only once the air around the pipe rises above freezing, which can take hours or even days in a cold snap. Waiting is risky: pressure keeps building while the pipe is frozen, and many pipes split as they thaw, flooding the house when the water starts flowing again. If a pipe is still frozen after you’ve tried warming it, or you can’t reach it, don’t wait for the weather. Call a plumber: +1 (877) 270-1778

Frequently asked questions

When should I worry about my pipes freezing?

When temperatures drop well below freezing, especially overnight, and your pipes run through unheated spaces or along outside walls. Homes in warmer states can be more at risk during a rare hard freeze, because their pipes are often less insulated. See what temperature pipes freeze at for the exact thresholds.

Should I let hot or cold water drip to keep pipes from freezing?

The Red Cross recommends letting cold water drip from faucets served by exposed pipes. The trickle keeps water moving so it’s less likely to freeze.

How long does it take frozen pipes to thaw?

With gentle heat on an exposed pipe, often 30 minutes to a couple of hours. Pipes inside walls can take much longer on their own, which is a good reason to call a plumber rather than wait.

Will frozen pipes burst?

Not always, but they can. Water expands as it freezes, which puts pressure on the pipe. That’s why it’s important to thaw it soon and keep a faucet open while you do.

Related guides

• Burst pipe? What to do right now, step by step
• Main water shut-off valve: where it is and how to turn it off
• What temperature do pipes freeze? And how long it takes

Need a plumber now?

Frozen or burst pipes get worse the longer they wait. Talk to a 24/7 plumber now:

📞 Call +1 (877) 270-1778

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