Protect Your Pipes

Frozen pipes can cause serious damage to your home. If you suspect your home’s pipes have frozen, Frost King has tips to help you thaw the ice – and the do it yourself products you need to prevent pipes from freezing again.

Dealing with a Freeze

You turn on the faucet expecting a gush of water… and not even a trickle flows from the pipes. What do you do?

1. Turn on the faucet and keep it open. Once you find the frozen area and get water to start flowing, running water will help melt ice that’s blocking the pipe.


2. Check pipes in places most susceptible to freezing. This includes uninsulated pipes in the basement, along exterior walls, in attics and crawl spaces, and the area where the water comes into your home. If you can’t find the spot where the pipe has frozen, call a licensed plumber for an emergency service call.


3. Once you’ve identified the frozen pipe, get to work melting the blockage. Apply heat to the area – you can use a hair dryer, an electric heating pad, a space heater, or towels soaked in hot water — until the water starts flowing again.


4. If your pipes have already burst, minimize damage by turning off the water at the main shutoff valve for your home.

Preventive Strategies

The best solution? Protect pipes from freezing in the first place with some smart, simple tips and an easy do it yourself project you can do in an afternoon.

1. If you’re leaving town during winter months, resist the urge to turn the thermostat way down. Set the heat to 55° F or higher to avoid coming home to burst or frozen pipes.


2. When outside temperatures plummet, turn the cold water spigot on to drip a little — this slight trickle of running water can help prevent pipes from freezing. You can also leave cabinet doors under sinks open to allow heated air to reach pipes and keep them warm.

Insulate exposed pipes in the basement, attic and crawl space with Frost King Tubular Foam Pipe Insulation. It’s available in a range of sizes and shapes, including tees and elbows for bends and corners, and comes pre-slit for easy installation: just cut the tubes to size and slip them over pipes. Click here for a step-by-step installation tutorial.

Need a game plan to insulate your home this winter? Play our “Stop the Freezies” game and you’ll be automatically entered for a chance to win a $100 gift card for Frost King products at Home Depot.