When the temperature drops below zero in Lake County, water in an unprotected pipe can freeze, expand and split the pipe wall. The damage usually shows up when things thaw: a sudden spray of water inside a wall, ceiling or crawl space. A little preparation in the fall prevents almost all of it.
Find the pipes most at risk
Pipes freeze where cold air reaches them and household heat does not. Walk your home before the first hard freeze and look for:
- Pipes along exterior walls, especially under kitchen and bathroom sinks
- Supply lines in unheated garages, crawl spaces and attics
- Outdoor hose bibs and in-ground sprinkler lines
- Any spot where you can feel a draft near plumbing
Simple steps that make a big difference
- Insulate exposed pipes with foam pipe sleeves from any hardware store, and seal drafts around them.
- Disconnect garden hoses and shut off and drain outdoor faucets from the inside valve.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls during cold snaps so warm air can reach the pipes.
- Let a faucet drip on the coldest nights. Moving water is much harder to freeze.
- Keep the heat at 55°F or higher, even when you are away for the weekend.
Know where your main water shut-off valve is before winter. In a burst-pipe emergency, closing it quickly is the single best way to limit the damage.
What to do if a pipe freezes
If a faucet only trickles on a cold morning, a pipe is probably frozen. Open the faucet, keep the area warm with a space heater or hair dryer, and work from the faucet back toward the frozen section. Never use an open flame. If you cannot find the frozen spot, or the pipe has already split, shut off the main water valve and call a plumber.
When to call Specialty Plumbing
Our emergency line dispatches licensed plumbers for frozen and burst pipes across Lake County and Northern Illinois. We can also add heat tape, reroute vulnerable lines or insulate crawl-space plumbing so the same pipe does not freeze next year. Request service or contact us to plan winter protection for your home.