Frozen/Burst Pipe Repair Near Cleveland, OH

Did you know a cracked or burst pipe can result in flooding, structural damage, and a quick onset of mold? Even an 1/8-inch crack in a pipe can gush up to 250 gallons of water a day.

If you suspect you have a frozen pipe, it’s important to remain calm and take the necessary steps to protect your home and prevent further damage.

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes:

To decrease your chances of having to deal with a frozen or burst pipe, it all starts with prevention.

Before the cold weather sets in:

• Unhook, drain, and store all water hoses.
• Cover all outdoor spigots and exterior water pipes (like a sprinkler system or swimming pool supply lines) with insulated sleeves.
• If you have water pipes that run through your attic, basement, or crawl spaces, cover them with insulated pipe sleeves.
• Watch the weather forecast to stay extra vigilant on cold days and even colder nights.

When the temperatures drop below freezing:

• Drip water from all faucets and open cabinet doors in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room to better expose pipes to the home’s heat.
• Keep your garage door closed if it has a water supply pipe in it.
• Keep your thermostat set above 55 degrees whenever you leave home.
• Familiarize yourself with your home’s main water shut-off valve.
• Consider installing a water leak detector. Many devices are inexpensive, easy to set-up, and offer alerts to potential water issues in your home.

While a frozen pipe is an urgent situation you need to act quickly on, it is just as important to thaw a frozen pipe correctly.

• Locate the frozen pipe(s). Do this by turning on the faucets in your home and seeing which ones still deliver water, or just a slight trickle.
• Open the faucets – both the hot and cold handles – that the frozen pipe feeds water into to help relieve pressure in the pipe and allow water to escape once the pipe is thawed.
• Begin the thawing process by thawing closest to the faucet and working your way toward the blockage.

Some effective pipe thawing options include using a:

• Air Dryer
• Space Heater
• Electrical Heating Tape
• Hot Towel

Because Northeast Ohio winters can get incredibly cold, even some prevention strategies can’t completely stop a pipe from freezing and bursting.

If you are dealing with a burst pipe, take these steps immediately:

• Shut off the water main to reduce pressure on pipes and to minimize flooding.
• Open, or turn on, several faucets throughout the house to remove pressure from the water lines.
• Call Invisible Excavations – a team of licensed plumber who offer 24/7 emergency service – to assess your situation and immediately begin repairing the ruptured pipes.
• For insurance purposes, take photos of the burst pipe and any damage that the pipe(s) caused, such as structural damage and/or property damage.
• Start to remove water or manage any persistent leak.
• Clean and dry all affected property, including walls, floors, carpet, furniture, and more to prevent mold and mildew from forming.