Broomfield winters can swing from mild afternoons to below-zero nights in a matter of hours. When temperatures drop fast, water inside your pipes can freeze, expand and split the pipe wide open. The real damage usually shows up when the ice thaws and water starts pouring into walls, ceilings and floors.
The good news is that most frozen pipes are preventable. A few simple steps before and during a cold snap can save you from an expensive cleanup.
Which Pipes Are Most at Risk?
Pipes freeze where cold air reaches them and warm air does not. In Broomfield homes, the most common trouble spots are:
- Pipes in exterior walls, especially behind kitchen and bathroom sinks
- Plumbing in unheated garages, crawlspaces and attics
- Outdoor hose bibs and sprinkler lines
- Pipes near drafty windows, doors or foundation vents
Before Winter: Get Your Home Ready
- Disconnect garden hoses. A hose left attached traps water in the outdoor faucet, which can freeze and crack the pipe inside the wall.
- Shut off and drain outdoor faucets if your home has interior shutoff valves for them.
- Blow out your sprinkler system before the first hard freeze.
- Insulate exposed pipes in garages, crawlspaces and basements with foam pipe sleeves.
- Seal drafts around rim joists, dryer vents and openings where pipes enter the house.
- Know where your main water shutoff is. If a pipe does burst, every minute counts.
During a Cold Snap: Simple Habits That Help
- Keep your thermostat at a steady temperature day and night, even if you are away.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warm air can reach the pipes.
- Let faucets on exterior walls drip slowly. Moving water is much less likely to freeze.
- Keep garage doors closed if water lines run through the garage.
Leaving town for the holidays? Never turn the heat off. Set it no lower than the mid-50s and ask a neighbor to check on the house during extreme cold.
What to Do If a Pipe Freezes
If you turn on a faucet and only get a trickle, a pipe may be frozen. Keep the faucet open and gently warm the pipe with a hair dryer or space heater placed at a safe distance. Never use an open flame. If you cannot find or reach the frozen section, call a plumber.
What to Do If a Pipe Bursts
- Shut off the main water valve right away.
- Turn off power to any rooms where water is near outlets or fixtures, if it is safe to do so.
- Move furniture and valuables out of the way and take photos of the damage.
- Call a plumber to repair the pipe and a restoration team to remove the water and dry the structure.
Water from a burst pipe often travels into wall cavities and under flooring where you cannot see it. Our burst pipe water damage team uses moisture meters to track hidden water, then sets up professional structural drying so walls and floors dry completely.
If a frozen pipe has already burst in your Broomfield home, call (720) 731-0350 any time, day or night.
