The short answer
If a faucet gives no water in freezing weather, a pipe is probably frozen. Open the tap, find the frozen section and warm it slowly with a hair dryer or a space heater placed safely. Never use an open flame, a torch or a heat gun that overheats the pipe. If you see water, a crack or a bulge, shut off the main valve and call a plumber.
The risk is not the ice itself. It is the split that forms when ice expands, and the flood that follows when the ice thaws and water starts flowing.
Where pipes freeze first
Exterior walls
Pipes in an outside wall with little insulation freeze first.
Unheated crawlspaces and garages
Lines that cross cold spaces have no heat to protect them.
Basement rim joists
Drafts around the rim joist chill nearby pipes.
Outdoor spigots
A hose left attached can freeze back into the wall.
How to thaw a frozen pipe
Open the faucet
Keep the tap open so melting water and pressure can escape.
Find the freeze
Feel for the coldest section, or look for frost and a bulge.
Apply gentle heat
Use a hair dryer or a space heater at a safe distance, moving back and forth.
Watch for leaks
When flow returns, check the whole run for drips and cracks.
Stop and call if
You see water spraying, a crack, a bulging pipe, or a wet wall or ceiling. Shut off the main valve first, then call. If the frozen pipe is behind a wall you cannot reach, do not cut into the wall yourself.
Pipe split or no water?
Call the 24/7 line about pipe frozen or split and we will book the next appointment that fits.
How to prevent a freeze
- Insulate pipes in crawlspaces, garages and exterior walls with foam sleeves
- Seal drafts around the rim joist, vents and where pipes enter the house
- Disconnect hoses and shut off outdoor spigots before the first hard freeze
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls during a cold snap
- Let a thin trickle run from a faucet on the coldest night
- Keep the heat on, even if you travel, and set it no lower than a safe minimum
Frozen versus burst
| Situation | What to do | Call a plumber |
|---|---|---|
| No water, no leak | Thaw gently with warm air | If it does not thaw in a reasonable time |
| Pipe bulging | Shut off the main, do not heat it fast | Yes, now |
| Pipe split, water showing | Shut off the main, drain taps, move belongings | Yes, now |
| Water behind drywall | Shut off the main, turn off power to the area | Yes, now |
Our burst pipe repair page explains what the repair involves. If the same pipe freezes year after year, repiping with a better route may be the long-term answer.
Replacement pipe after a freeze follows the material standards in the Ohio Plumbing Code, OAC Chapter 4101:3.
What to do after the pipe thaws
Once water flows, the work is not done. A pipe that froze may have a small crack that only leaks under pressure, so walk the line with a flashlight and look at every joint. Check the ceiling below and the wall behind the pipe for new stains. Leave a bucket under any suspect spot overnight.
Take photos of the pipe and the area, and keep them in case you need to show an insurer later. If you find a crack, shut off the main and call a plumber before you restore full water pressure. A crack will not fix itself.
Plan a repair of the weak spot before the next cold snap. A section that froze once will freeze again if the cause, such as a draft or a missing insulation sleeve, is still there.
A cold-snap checklist for the night before
When a hard freeze is forecast, a ten minute walk through the house prevents most pipe trouble. Start in the basement and move to the garage, the crawlspace and any room with plumbing on an exterior wall. Look for gaps, drafts and bare pipes.
Then do the small jobs. Open the cabinets under sinks on outside walls so warm air reaches the pipes. Let a thin stream of water run from the faucet at the farthest end of the house. Close the garage door and any crawlspace vents. Know where your main shutoff is and make sure everyone in the house does too.
- Disconnect garden hoses and drain the outdoor spigot
- Close and cover crawlspace vents
- Set the thermostat no lower than a safe temperature
- Open cabinet doors on exterior walls
- Find the main shutoff and test that it turns
- Save the plumber's number on your phone
Heat tape and other add-ons
Electric heat tape wraps around a pipe and warms it in cold weather. It helps on a pipe that always freezes, but it must be rated for the pipe type and installed exactly as the maker directs. A damaged or doubled-over tape is a fire risk, so check it each fall and replace any that looks worn.
Winter plumbing in Massillon and nearby townships
Housing age matters for freeze risk. In neighboring Jackson Township, the comprehensive plan reports 34 percent of homes built before 1970 and 29.3 percent built from 1970 to 1979. Older houses were built with less insulation and with pipes routed through exterior walls, and lake cottages that began as summer colonies, such as Willowdale Lake, often have unheated crawlspaces.
In Massillon, the oldest housing near downtown and along Lincoln Way East carries the same risk. If you are away during a cold spell, ask someone to check the house, and keep the heat on. Our Jackson Township page and Canal Fulton page list the towns where we answer freeze calls around the clock.
Massillon frozen pipe questions
Many policies cover sudden water damage. Ask your insurer, and keep photos and a written description from your plumber.
It is usually where the water line enters the basement or crawlspace, near the meter. Find it before you need it.
Keep it on and set to a safe minimum. A cold house is the main cause of freeze damage.
Yes, moving water is harder to freeze, and it relieves pressure if ice forms.
Yes. The line is open 24 hours a day, every day.