When Pipes Freeze, What do You Do?

What Temperature Do Pipes Burst?

Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty question that first pops into your mind for this situation.

In much of the US (i.e., places like the Northeast, Midwest, Rockies, Great Plains, and Northwest), new temperature records have become the new normal due to climate change. Having to get out the snow shovel and shivering when plowing your front drive or sidewalk, you may forget the freezing effects on your plumbing. That is why when these conditions occur (typically single-digit temperatures or below), it is always a best practice to inspect the pipework of your home or property. If you do not own the property, raise this concern with your landlord.

Not addressing these problems ASAP can cause pipes and other vital systems that allow fluids like potable water to freeze, resulting in water leaks when the water inside the pipe thaws. The sections of pipes damaged by such temperature fluctuations can lead to undetected leakages concealed by building materials such as drywall.

Consequently, water leaks can rot the structure’s wood, thus increasing the possibility of mold growth. That is not just a concern for buildings made of timber, as it can occur in any building material. Furthermore, you can save thousands of dollars in damage by listening to your “gut” and calling a professional to inspect the inside of your home or business.

Additionally, that inhibits using vital devices such as faucets, showerheads, and countless other kitchen and laundry appliances. That is the type of misfortune that cold temperatures can bring.

Be Ready to Handle Frozen Pipes 

Throughout the year, but especially in the winter, The Fire Restoration Team stays busy helping residents and business owners across Chicagoland recover from damage losses resulting from water-related incidents such as ruptured plumbing fixture like water pipes. As soon as they burst, your property will be inundated with cold water & muck that will leave you reeling the next time you see your water bill.

We want you to protect you from the elements in the winter & beyond; hence we have a guide covering the A-Z’s about frozen pipes.

How to Tell If Pipes Are Frozen

Water pipes usually explode when the temperature falls below freezing point quickly (i.e., a cold snap). It is more stark when the temperature from one day to the next are significant or when in single digits or negative Fahrenheit. Nonetheless, a windchill (strong winds that cause temperatures to feel colder on bare skin than what is measured) with a combination of low humidity penetrating in & around the pipework leads to a recipe of disaster as we will later discuss.

It’s a common issue for business & homeowners to experience across the country’s northern part. Unfortunately, that is not the only factor. Wind can persist the most when we least want it, which is winter, sending evening temperatures into extreme wintry conditions. Also typical in much of the Northeast and Midwest are the blizzard conditions that come from weather patterns affect by large bodies of water (e.g., lake effect snow from The Great Lakes).

This condition affects pipes outside & inside businesses  regardless of the conditions and robustness of your plumbing system.

In places like Chicago, for example, the weather is bipolar. It can be 60 degrees Fahrenheit one day and 10 degrees Fahrenheit the next. The fickleness is obviously something you will not be able to prevent. However, there is a strong chance that the temperatures will frigid for a couple of consecutive weeks, at least. In other words, the thermometer drops well under freezing point for much of the season. To be specific, this occurs as between December and late February, even late April, just ask most people from the area. These temperature plunges are enough to rupture pipes across the metro. Why would your home or business be any different?

Will Pipes Burst if They Freeze?

The overly simplistic answer is because of the cold weather. Extreme cold causes pipes to crack. However, it ain’t so simple of an answer because otherwise all pipes throughout your area would need new pipework every year when it is cold, which would be a headache for specialists like us. In addition, humidity outside tends to be low for much of this time. Allowing this air into supposed ambient air (i.e., where pipes are meant to be placed in) forces the pipe’s surface to withstand contrasting conditions to the point where surface’s material fractures. This condition penetrates the inside, resulting in dry humidity outside which then causes pipes to burst at thawing occurs outside.

What really happens is the frozen fluid inside your property’s pipes causes them to expand. Although a very different process, it is a parallel to heat effect experienced by ductwork when heat goes through it. Likewise, when fluid like water freezes, it exerts a pressure on the concentric, inside surface of the pipe. That causes the pipe to expand since it experiences uniform pressure from the inner surface of the pipe. When water freezes inside your home’s pipes, it expands on a molecular level.

How Do I Mitigate This Problem?

Large temperature differences between the pipe’s exterior & interior surfaces, the inside fluid, & air surrounding the pipe are the four temperatures you should be aware of when such circumstances occur.

Typically, temperatures from either of these that contrast each other to such a degree can lead to significant pressure changes that transfer the force of unfrozen water downstream from the frozen point to the end faucet. Much of this is thanks to gravity and basic heat transfer. Thankfully, you do not need to know that as predicting these incidents comes down checking out the forecast for your area.

Keep in mind that pipe burst occur between the faucet & the frozen blockage.

The Fire Restoration Team would be able to find ruptures where there is little to no icicles throughout each pipe. They are often camoflauged like black ice on a pavement. However, our crew is trained to track the slightest indication as the tone of the surface is the biggest giveaway as to whether there is a crack or not. Be aware that this can all occur in as little as six hours.

To summarize, let’s go over the main factors that cause pipes to freeze & burst during winter.

What to Do About Frozen Water Pipes

TFRT’s Procedure for Handling Frozen Pipes