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Open 24/7 · 60-minute guarantee
Frozen Pipe Repair
No water from a tap on a bitter morning usually means ice in the line. The ice isn’t the real danger — the split it can leave behind is, and that often shows up only as the pipe thaws. We thaw the line safely, check it for cracks before the pressure comes back, and deal with the reason it froze.
At your location in 60 minutes or you save $60.
The short answer
Open the tap on the frozen line so meltwater can escape, and thaw the pipe slowly with a hair dryer or towels soaked in warm water, starting nearest the tap. Never use a torch or any other flame. Find your main shut-off too, because a split pipe often starts leaking the moment the ice melts. If you can’t find or reach the frozen section, or it’s already dripping, call us: we thaw it safely, check the run for cracks and repair any split — at your location in 60 minutes or you save $60.
Is this an emergency?
Call now if…
- There’s no water anywhere in the home or building
- A pipe has started dripping or spraying as it thaws
- The frozen section is inside a wall, ceiling or floor
- The heat is out and the building is getting colder
Can usually wait for a scheduled visit
- Insulating a line that froze last winter
- Swapping an old outdoor spigot for a frost-free one
- Rerouting a pipe away from an outside wall
Not sure? Call anyway — we’ll tell you honestly.
Do this right now
- Open the tap the frozen pipe feeds so water can run out as the ice melts.
- Thaw it slowly with a hair dryer or a towel soaked in warm water, working back from the tap — and keep the dryer away from any dripping water.
- Never put a torch, lighter or any other open flame near the pipe.
- Find your main shut-off, or know how to reach your super, in case the pipe starts leaking as it thaws.
Signs you need us
- A tap that gives a trickle or nothing after a bitter night
- Hot water still runs at a sink, but the cold doesn’t
- A toilet tank that won’t refill after a flush
- A washer or dishwasher that won’t fill on a cold morning
- Ice or frost on a pipe in a basement, garage or crawlspace
- A bulge or hairline split along a pipe
- An outdoor spigot that won’t run, or leaks indoors when it’s turned on
- A damp patch on a wall or ceiling as the weather warms up
How we handle the call
- 01
Find the frozen section
We trace the line back from the dry tap to the cold spot — usually where it runs along an outside wall, through a crawlspace or past a drafty window.
- 02
Thaw it safely
Gentle, controlled heat with the tap open, working from the tap end toward the ice so the meltwater has somewhere to go.
- 03
Check before full pressure
Before the water goes back on fully, we look along the run for splits and bulges — a pipe that froze can crack in more than one place.
- 04
Repair any split
Cracked sections are cut out and replaced with new pipe and proper fittings, not taped or clamped.
- 05
Stop the next freeze
Insulation, heat tape where it suits the spot, or rerouting a line that freezes every winter — we tell you honestly which one it needs.
Know your building
Where pipes freeze in houses and apartment buildings
In detached and semi-detached houses, freeze-ups tend to happen in the same few places: a crawlspace under an extension, a garage built into the house, an unheated basement, a kitchen sink on an outside wall and the outdoor spigots. Older rowhouses and townhouses share their side walls with the neighbors, so the trouble is usually along the front or back wall — a kitchen line at the rear, or pipes near a drafty cellar window. These spots sit right against the cold with little heat around them. A pipe that froze once will usually freeze again in the next cold snap unless something changes.
In apartment buildings, pipes usually freeze when the building loses heat — a boiler that quits overnight, or an empty apartment with the radiators shut off. Landlords generally have to keep rental homes heated in cold weather, though local rules set the exact temperatures and dates. If the heat goes out, tell your super or landlord right away, and put it in writing if it isn’t restored. We work with owners, supers and building managers to thaw the lines, repair any splits and get the boiler going again. Shops, restaurants and offices are at risk too when the heat is turned right down over a long weekend — keep it at 55°F or higher, especially where pipes run near a back door or loading area.
One visit, whole job
Everything covered on the call
- Thawing frozen supply lines
- Lines in garages, crawlspaces and unheated basements
- Sink lines on outside walls
- Freeze-ups after a heating failure
- Crack checks before the water goes back on
- Split and bulged pipe replacement
- Frozen and split outdoor spigots
- Insulation and heat tape where it’s the right fix
- Rerouting lines that freeze every winter
Upfront price, every time
What frozen pipe repair costs
The biggest factor is whether the pipe split. Thawing an exposed line in a basement or under a sink, with no damage, is a short visit. A line frozen inside a wall or ceiling, one deep in a crawlspace, or a split that needs a section cut out and replaced takes more time and parts.
Keeping it from freezing again is priced separately and depends on the run: insulating an open basement line is simple, while rerouting a pipe away from an outside wall means opening finished walls or floors. You get the price before any work starts, and if we find a crack once the line is thawed, we show you and price the repair before going further.
Honest advice
Thaw and protect, or reroute the run?
If a pipe froze once because the heat failed or a window was left open, thawing it, checking it for cracks and insulating it is usually all it needs.
If the same run freezes every winter, it’s in the wrong place — tight against an outside wall, through an unheated crawlspace or garage, or in a steady draft. Insulation and heat tape help, but moving the line to the warm side of the wall or into heated space is the fix that lasts. If the old pipe has already split more than once, replace that run as part of the move. We show you where it’s freezing and price both options.
Mistakes that make it worse
- Using a torch or any open flame — it can set the framing alight, and water trapped between ice plugs can boil and burst the pipe
- Thawing with the tap closed, or starting in the middle of the frozen section instead of at the tap end
- Assuming all is well once water runs again — a split often leaks only when full pressure is back
- Leaving a hose on an outdoor spigot over winter — water trapped in the spigot freezes and splits it
Keep it from happening again
- Before the first frost, take hoses off outdoor spigots, and on older ones close the inside valve and drain the line
- Seal drafts near pipes — gaps at the sill, crawlspace openings and broken or open cellar windows
- Fit foam sleeves on pipes in unheated spaces, and have heat tape added where insulation alone hasn’t been enough
- Report a heat outage to your landlord or super right away — and follow up in writing if it isn’t fixed
The 60-minute guarantee
The clock starts when our dispatcher confirms your job. If we’re late, $60 comes off your invoice. No forms, no fine-print games. Read the terms
FAQ
Frozen Pipe Repair questions
How do I know if a pipe is frozen?
If it’s below freezing and one tap gives a trickle or nothing while others still run, a frozen line feeding that tap is the likely cause — especially on an outside wall. If nothing in the building has water, the main line may be frozen where it comes in, or the water may be off for another reason. Either way, call us.
Why did the pipe only start leaking after it thawed?
Freezing water expands, and the pressure it builds can split the pipe — often between the ice and a closed tap rather than at the ice itself. While the line is frozen, the ice holds the water back, so the crack only leaks once it melts and the pressure returns.
Can I use a space heater or a hair dryer?
Yes, with care: aim a hair dryer at the pipe, or set a space heater well back from anything that can burn and never leave it unattended. Keep both away from water, and never use a torch, lighter or other open flame.
Should I let a tap drip on cold nights?
On the coldest nights, a thin, steady drip from a tap on an outside wall helps — moving water is slower to freeze, and an open tap relieves pressure if ice forms. It’s a stopgap, not a fix for a line that freezes every year.
The heat is off in my building and the pipes are freezing. What can I do?
Tell your landlord or super right away, and put it in writing. If the heat isn’t restored, your local housing authorities can tell you the rules where you live and how to report it. If a pipe has started leaking, ask the super to shut the riser — and if you own or manage the building, we can thaw and repair the line.
Do I need heat tape?
Only on a run that still freezes after it’s been insulated and sealed from drafts, such as a line in a garage or crawlspace. Where it’s needed, we fit the right type for the pipe — though moving the pipe into heated space is often the better fix.
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