Burst pipes will need to be replaced and a plumber is best equipped to handle the job. The average hourly plumber rate is around $330, depending on where you live and the size of your job. As long as your frozen pipes haven't burst, a plumber will likely charge a flat fee of around $100 to thaw them out.
If damage is less serious, costs may come in around a few hundred dollars. If freezing causes pipes to burst, repairs will likely be more costly, with possible charges of $500 or even upwards of $1,000 possible depending on the the plumber and the damage.
Take every precaution to avoid frozen pipes–and if your pipes DO freeze, save yourself a headache by calling in a plumber with a thaw machine.
Most homeowner and commercial property insurance policies, in general, will cover damage from a frozen pipe that bursts.
Frozen Pipes Shouldn't Be Allowed to Thaw on Their Own
The laws of physics say water always takes up more volume as it freezes. When your pipes can no longer contain the expanding ice, they will burst. This not only breaks the pipes and makes your plumbing system unusable, it may cause serious water damage as well.
The job goes more quickly by pouring hot water or a mixture of vinegar, baking soda and salt water down the drain. Space heaters, hair dryers and heating pads are highly efficient tools for unfreezing a drain pipe. If a frozen drain line ruptures, turn off your home's main water supply.
And once the temperature outside dips below 32F, unprotected pipes are at a greater risk of freezing and potentially bursting. That said, it's still possible for your pipes to thaw without bursting. The key is to release the pressure and allow the pipes to thaw slowly.
Pipes typically burst when exposed to extremely low temperatures for an extended period of time (anywhere from 1-3 days depending on temperature). This is especially true for pipes located on exterior walls.
Typically covered: losses caused by water abruptly leaking from a pipe inside the home, frozen/burst pipe if reasonable care is used to maintain heat in the home, water backing-up through a sewer or drain (with Back-up of Sewer or Drain endorsement) and water damage to your home caused by ice dams.
Frozen water pipes aren't life threatening, however frozen or broken water pipes do cause damage to homes each winter. If pipes in the walls aren't properly insulated, they can freeze and rupture. (An 1/8-inch crack in a pipe can release up to 250 gallons of water a day, soaking floors, rugs, and furniture.)
If your pipes have been frozen for more than two days, shut down your home's water supply. Locate the frozen length using touch, sight and sound. Make sure the pipe hasn't burst, and open indoor faucets. Unfreeze the pipe using a hair dryer, heat tape, space heater or heating pad.
Apply heat to the frozen area
There are several ways to do this. You can wrap the pipes in thermostatically controlled heat tape, or you can use an external heat source such as a hair dryer or space heater.
When it comes to thawing frozen pipes efficiently, trust Roto-Rooter's professional plumbers to finish the job faster and more safely. We use professional pipe-thawing equipment and apply direct heat to safely thaw frozen pipes – without causing damage. If you're facing a frozen pipe situation, call us immediately.
Turn the Heat Upin the Property: You can attempt to thaw the frozen pipe by increasing the temperature in the property. Turning the thermostat up may be all that is needed to allow the ice blockage to melt.
Frozen pipes are one of the worst things that can happen to your plumbing. While small leaks and repairs are straightforward problems to fix, frozen pipes can be a lot more costly to fix. Ice is less dense than water which causes it to expand.
If your pipes freeze:
If you turn on your faucets and nothing comes out call a plumber. If you detect your water pipes have frozen, turn off the water at the main shut-off valve in the house. NEVER try to thaw a pipe with a torch or open flame.
A professionally prepared lease agreement will often require the tenant to keep the unit heated to 60 degrees. If the pipes freeze, then under this lease agreement, the tenant may be responsible not only for their personal property but also the damage to the leased premises.
Insurers, like State Farm or GEICO, do not have a fixed number of claims that automatically lead to policy cancellation. This is more likely to happen if you have three or more claims, a record of DUI, at-fault car accidents with high bodily injury and property damage costs and other traffic violations.
If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you can not thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
Thaw Frozen Pipes
Turn off the water immediately at the main shut off valve. Open the faucet so that water will flow through the pipe once the area is melted. This will help melt more ice.
Pipe-thawing options: There are several things you can do to thaw your home's pipes. Here's a list: Probably the most popular and safest pipe-thawing option is to use hot water.
Turn on all faucets: Checking each faucet in your home will help you narrow down your search. The faucets that have little or no water pressure likely have a frozen pipe in their supply line. If every faucet is showing low water pressure, the frozen pipe may be near the water meter.
Should You Drip Faucets In Cold Weather? Yes, according to the Red Cross, the short answer to that question is you should.
Although common, frozen pipes do not always burst. However, the ice can increase this risk when it thaws and is usually worsened as it raises pressure further which makes pipe bursting common near winter's end or springtime. Furthermore, the more water flowing through the pipe, the greater chance of rupture.