What To Do When The Pipes Freeze in Your Seattle Home
Every year, we know we can expect a cold snap. It may stick around for a couple of days or last for weeks. If the pipes in your home are not insulated well, you run the risk of the water freezing in the pipes and making it impossible for you to get water. It can also result in a huge mess that can cause serious damage to your home’s flooring and walls.
Ideally, the best option is prevention. You will find plenty of materials that you can add to your home to prevent the pipes from freezing at Greenwood Hardware. Do everything you can to keep the pipes from freezing, but if it happens, you must act quickly to mitigate the damage.
In some cases, you can see where a pipe is frozen. A layer of frost or even a bulge is a good sign that is where the problem lies. Once you know where to attack, shut off the water to that area and try one of the methods below.
Heat Tape
This is a great solution for a small section of pipe that is blocked by ice. This may be an area that runs along an outside wall or under a sink. The tape heats up and will slowly melt the ice. This tape is a great fix and forget it option, but it is significantly more expensive than other options.
Blow Dryer
Bust out the hair dryer and aim the heat on the frozen pipe. Making waves up and down the pipe will help release the ice and get the water behind the ice dam moving. Keep in mind, this can be a tedious task, and your hair dryer will likely need some time off after constant use to prevent overheating.
Space Heater
Investing in a space heater and placing it in the area with the frozen pipes is an option. However, it isn’t safe to put a heater too close to a wall that you suspect may be harboring a frozen pipe. You should keep heaters about three feet from the wall to keep it from starting a fire. If the frozen pipe is under a sink, open the cupboard doors and face the heater into the area. This is a slow method, but it will work.
Save yourself a great deal of time and frustration and head into Greenwood Hardware today to pick up pipe insulation that can prevent you from ever having to deal with frozen pipes. Come on in, or contact us today.