What to do if your pipes freeze at home

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Let water trickle, open cabinet doors … Most of us know how to prevent our pipes from freezing.

But what if they do freeze?

A Chapman Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing employee says if your pipes freeze, the first thing you need to do is shut off your water. This will potentially make a bad situation a little better.

Next, if you haven’t already done so, open the cabinet doors under sinks.

Finally, you want to turn up the heat in your home. This can be uncomfortable but helps thaw the pipes. You can also use space heaters or blow dryers to speed up the process. You will need to thaw your pipes with frozen water before they burst. 

“Once the pipe thaws out, you’ll immediatly know you have a burst pipe because it will spray eveyrwhere and cause massive water damage,” said Champan Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing’s Matt Harold.

Along with opening cabinets and letting water trickle, make sure to limit frigid air getting into the garage. Close doggie doors, garage doors and similiar air leaks.

If your pipes do burst, check your insurance to see if the damage and repairs are covered.