Preventing frozen pipes in an Ohio winter

Where pipes freeze in Dayton-area homes

Pipes freeze where cold air reaches them and heat does not. In local homes, the usual trouble spots are:

• Supply lines in exterior walls, especially kitchen and bathroom sinks on walls that take the brunt of winter wind
• Crawl spaces, common under additions and some older homes
• Unheated garages, particularly lines feeding a laundry or utility sink
• Attics and knee walls in story-and-a-half houses
• Basement pipes near the rim joist, where outside air leaks in around the sill
• Outdoor hose bibs and irrigation lines

Wind matters as much as temperature. A small gap in siding or a foundation vent left open can blow cold air straight onto a pipe that has never frozen before. If a pipe has frozen once, expect it to freeze again in the same conditions until something changes.

Winterizing hose bibs and outdoor lines

Outdoor faucets fail more often than almost anything else in winter, usually because a hose was left connected. The hose traps water in the faucet, it freezes, and the split happens inside the wall, where you will not see it until you turn the faucet on in spring.

Before the first hard freeze:

1. Disconnect and drain every garden hose.
2. If the faucet has a separate shutoff inside the house, close it, then open the outside faucet to let the line drain. Leave it open for the winter.
3. Add an insulated faucet cover for extra protection.

Many newer homes have frost-free sillcocks, which close the valve well inside the heated wall. They only work if the hose is off and the faucet can drain. Irrigation systems need to be blown out before winter.

Insulation and sealing air leaks

Foam pipe sleeves are easy to find at any hardware store and easy to install on exposed lines in crawl spaces, garages and basements. Cut them to fit snugly, cover elbows and tees, and tape the seams. Heat cable made for pipes can help on a line that keeps freezing, but install it exactly as the manufacturer directs and plug it into a GFCI outlet.

Insulation slows heat loss; it does not create heat. Sealing air leaks matters just as much. Seal gaps where pipes pass through exterior walls, close foundation vents for the winter and insulate along the rim joist in the basement.

What to do on the coldest nights

When the forecast drops well below freezing, especially with wind:

• Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so warm room air reaches the pipes.
• Let faucets on vulnerable lines drip, hot and cold if the faucet has two handles. Moving water is slower to freeze, and an open faucet relieves pressure if ice does form.
• Keep the thermostat at the same setting day and night.
• Keep the garage door closed if water lines run through the garage.
• If you leave town, keep the heat on, ideally no lower than the mid-50s, and ask someone to check the house. For a long trip, shutting off the main and draining the lines is the safest option.

If a pipe freezes

The first sign is usually a faucet that gives a trickle or nothing at all. Act quickly:

1. Leave the faucet open. Running water helps clear the line as the ice melts.
2. Find the frozen section. Check exposed pipe for frost or a bulge, and look along exterior walls and in crawl spaces.
3. Warm it gently with a hair dryer, a heating pad or towels soaked in hot water. Start near the faucet and work back toward the frozen spot.
4. Keep going until full flow returns, then check every faucet in the house.

Never use a torch, open flame, or charcoal or kerosene heater. Keep space heaters clear of anything flammable and never leave them unattended.

Call a plumber if you cannot find or reach the frozen section, if it is inside a wall, or if more than one line is frozen. If a pipe has split, shut off the main valve first, then call. Lines that keep freezing may need to be rerouted or better protected as part of leak repair. For shutoff valves and pressure, see the leaks, frozen pipes and water pressure guide.

Frequently asked questions

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