Inside the House
When temperatures drop, your goal is to push as much warmth as possible into the areas where pipes actually run — not just where you sit.
- Turn up the heat a bit. Even a few extra degrees can make the difference in borderline spots like exterior walls and crawl spaces. Don’t let the indoor temperature drop too low at night, especially during extended cold snaps.
- Move warm air into cold areas. Set up fans to blow warm air into colder rooms or toward problem areas like northern exterior walls. Use portable space heaters carefully (following all safety guidelines) in rooms with plumbing that always feels chilly.
- Open cabinet and vanity doors. Under-sink pipes along exterior walls can be vulnerable. Open the doors on bathroom vanities and kitchen cabinets so warm room air can reach the pipes instead of trapping them in a cold, closed space.
- Open closet or pantry doors if they hide pipes. Any enclosed space that hides plumbing — closets, pantries, utility nooks — should be opened so they share heat with the rest of the house.
- Keep garage doors closed. Garages cool down fast. If supply lines or water heaters sit in or near the garage, a wide-open garage door in a freeze can drag temperatures down in adjacent walls and rooms.
Watch for warning signs: reduced water flow is often the first sign that ice is forming inside your pipes. If you turn on a faucet and get only a trickle, don’t ignore it.
When that happens:
- Leave the faucet open so any water can flow as the ice melts.
- Grab a hair dryer (or a small space heater at a safe distance) and start warming the most vulnerable sections of the line — usually in basements, crawl spaces, or near exterior walls where pipes disappear.
- Never use an open flame or torch — that’s a serious fire risk and can damage pipes.
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