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Frozen pipes

One faucet gives a trickle or nothing on a cold morning, and the others work. That pipe is probably frozen. Thaw it slowly now, before the ice splits it.

Updated November 2026

Do this first

  1. Find the main water shutoff and keep it in reach, in case the pipe is already cracked.
  2. Open the faucet the frozen pipe feeds, so melting water has somewhere to go.
  3. Never use a torch, open flame or charcoal heater. They start fires and can make pipes burst.
Where pipes freeze first in a houseCross-section of a house in winter. Pipes freeze first where they run through cold spaces: exterior walls, sink cabinets on outside walls, the attic, the crawlspace, the garage and outdoor spigots.CrawlspaceAtticHeatedGarage123456
Where pipes freeze first:
  1. Inside exterior walls
  2. Under sinks on outside walls
  3. In the attic
  4. In the crawlspace or an unheated basement
  5. In the garage
  6. Outdoor spigots and hose bibs

How to thaw a frozen pipe

  1. Start at the faucet end and work back toward the frozen spot.
  2. Use gentle heat: a hair dryer, a heating pad, warm towels, or a space heater kept a safe distance away and never left alone.
  3. Keep heating until full water pressure comes back.
  4. Check the length of pipe for drips or wet spots once water flows.

Call a plumber if you can't find the frozen section, it's inside a wall or ceiling, or several faucets are frozen at once.

On a well and every tap is dry? Check the pressure switch first: see frozen well line or pressure switch.

If it already burst

Shut off the main water, cut power to wet areas if you can reach the panel safely, and see a pipe just burst.

Stop it from happening again

  • On very cold nights, let faucets on outside walls drip and open the cabinet doors under sinks.
  • Keep the heat on, even when you're away.
  • Disconnect garden hoses and shut off and drain outdoor spigots before winter.
  • Insulate pipes in the attic, crawlspace and garage, and seal drafts near them.