What To Do If Your Pipes Freeze During the Polar Vortex, According to Plumbers

Bone-chilling temperatures are on the way for most of the U.S. as a polar vortex is in the forecast for late January. From the Midwest to the Northeast, roughly 120 million people will feel the brrr in the last days of the month.

If you’re a homeowner living in a cold climate—or one that’s about to experience this extreme chill—it’s time to consider how the cold will impact your home. We’re looking at you, pipes!

Turns out, pipes can freeze in any region and given the financial risks involved, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Because sometimes, home insurance just doesn’t cover the damage, so you want to get ahead of it!

Here are the signs that your pipes may be frozen—and what to do if they are.

How to determine if your pipes are frozen

The most obvious indicator of frozen pipes is the absence of water (assuming you’re not delinquent on your water bill).

“Frozen water pipes won’t deliver water to the sink, tub, or toilet—and blocked heating pipes will prevent hot air from reaching radiators that are past the part that’s frozen,” says Mary Redler, vice president of Polo Plumbing & Heating in Lindenhurst, NY.

Once you’ve determined that your pipes are on ice, it’s time to take action—and you have some options.

Ways to defrost your pipes

If you have frozen pipes that are undamaged, Redler says you may be able to defrost them yourself. But the first thing you should do is turn off the water at the main shut-off valve.

“This is important because as the pipe defrosts, you may discover that it did split but wasn’t leaking because it was frozen,” she explains.

Some people recommend using a blow dryer to defrost frozen pipes. Redler says using a space heater will also do the trick.

“Place the unit close by so it sends heat as directly as possible to the frozen area,” she advises.

The more heat you can deliver, the faster the pipe will thaw—but Redler warns it may take a full 24 hours using this method.

“Hopefully the heat will prevent it from freezing even more and splitting the pipe, since water expands when it’s frozen,” she explains.

In lieu of a space heater, there are other ways to thaw your frozen pipes. According to Don Glovan, franchise consultant with Mr. Rooter Plumbing, you can also use a heat lamp.

He recommends that you start applying heat at the area of the pipe closest to the faucet, and then move the heat application down the pipe.

“Another option is to use electrical heating tape, although some models will need to be plugged in,” Glovan says.

Avoid using these sources of heat to defrost pipes: a blowtorch, propane heater, kerosene, charcoal stove, or any other type of flammable device.

You also need to open a faucet that receives water from the frozen pipe to release pressure in the pipe when it thaws out.

What if the pipes burst while frozen?

When water freezes, it expands, which can cause pipes to burst—flooding your basement, ruining your drywall, and costing thousands of dollars in repairs.

In fact, the Hartford Insurance Co. reported in 2024 that the average claim for damage from a frozen pipe is a whopping $18,000, according to its analysis of five years of winter claims data.

Yep, you read that right—$18,000. On average.

This is by far the biggest reason you want to avoid your pipes from freezing over. Once the worst happens, you’ll have no choice but to call in a professional.

Should you call a plumber?

If your DIY plumbing efforts don’t work—or if your pipes have frozen and burst—bring in the plumbers. And if there’s a lot of water in your home that needs to be dried out, call a water remediation company, which has the equipment and the training to remove it.

“If something isn’t dried correctly, such as inside a wall cavity, under a cabinet, carpet padding, or subflooring, etc., you could develop problems with microbial (mold) growth later,” says Bud Summers, executive vice president of operations and training at PuroClean.

Tips to prevent frozen pipes

Insulating your pipes is one of the best ways to prevent the pipes from freezing in the first place. Ben Nuno, plumbing specialist at Lee’s Air Conditioning, Heating, and Building Performance in Fresno, CA, recommends insulating all exterior pipes or installing a pipe-heating cable.

Another suggestion is to let your faucets drip water, since water is less likely to freeze when there’s movement in the pipes, and opening the faucets ensures there’s no buildup of water pressure.

Also, try to keep the area around your pipes as warm as possible.

“Open your under-sink cabinet doors to keep warm room air circulating around the pipes,” Glovan says.

He also recommends sealing external openings such as basement doors, windows, and crawl spaces with weatherstripping, caulk, and sealant.

In addition, you may want to budget for a higher utility bill during the winter months.

“Very cold days are not the time to try to save money on fuel,” Redler says. “You should actually increase the temperature by a few degrees to make sure your pipes are protected.”

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