Frozen & Burst Pipes in Winston-Salem, NC

Why pipes freeze in a mild climate

Winston-Salem's average January low is in the upper 20s, and most winter nights are only a little below freezing. That is not cold enough to freeze well-protected pipes. The trouble comes with arctic outbreaks, when temperatures fall into the teens or single digits and stay below freezing for a day or more, often with wind. The area's record low is well below zero. Homes built for mild winters, with pipes in vented crawlspaces, exterior walls and unheated garages, are the ones that freeze. Watch National Weather Service hard-freeze warnings for Forsyth County (National Weather Service Blacksburg (covers Forsyth County)).

The usual suspects

• Supply lines running along the rim joist of a crawlspace, especially near foundation vents and the crawlspace door.
• Kitchen and bathroom pipes in exterior walls, particularly sinks with cabinets on an outside wall.
• Outdoor hose bibs (spigots) with hoses still attached, which trap water in the valve body.
• Pipes in unheated garages, bonus rooms over garages, and attics with water heaters.
• Older homes with gaps around the foundation, missing crawlspace insulation, or open vents.

If a pipe is frozen (no water, but no leak yet)

1. Open the faucet the frozen pipe feeds, so melting water can flow and pressure can escape.
2. Find the frozen section: usually the coldest stretch between the faucet and where the line enters the house.
3. Warm it gently with a hair dryer, a heating pad, or towels soaked in hot water. Start near the faucet and work back. The American Red Cross warns never to use an open flame, a propane torch or a charcoal or kerosene heater (American Red Cross, Frozen Pipes).
4. Keep warming until full pressure returns, then check every faucet. If one line froze, others may have too.
5. Watch for leaks as it thaws. A split pipe often does not leak until the ice melts. Know where the main shut-off is before you start.

If you cannot reach the frozen section, cannot find it, or the line is plastic and you are not sure how much heat it can take, it is time to request help.

If a pipe has burst

Close the main shut-off immediately, turn off the water heater, open a low faucet to drain the system, and move valuables away from the water. Then follow the steps on the emergency plumber page. Burst copper is usually cut out and replaced with a new section; PEX and CPVC splits are repaired the same way. Freeze damage often happens in more than one place, so the whole affected run should be pressure-checked before the walls or crawlspace are closed up.

Preventing frozen pipes

Before winter

• Insulate exposed supply lines in the crawlspace, garage and attic with foam pipe insulation. Heat cable approved for pipe use helps on the worst runs.
• Seal gaps around the foundation and where pipes enter, and make sure the crawlspace door closes tightly.
• Disconnect, drain and store garden hoses. Frost-free hose bibs are a good upgrade where the old ones keep freezing.
• Close the interior shut-off and drain the line to any outdoor faucet that has one.

When a hard freeze is forecast

• Close foundation vents if your crawlspace has manual vents.
• Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so house heat reaches the pipes.
• Let cold water drip from faucets served by exposed pipes; moving water is slower to freeze (American Red Cross, Frozen Pipes).
• Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night.
• If you leave town, keep the heat at 55°F or higher, or shut off the main and drain the lines.

Long-term fixes for pipes that freeze every winter

If the same line freezes every cold snap, the fix is usually rerouting it away from the cold spot, adding insulation and air sealing where it runs, or replacing it with PEX, which tolerates freezing better than rigid pipe (though it can still split). An encapsulated or conditioned crawlspace also keeps pipes warmer. See repiping if old pipes keep failing.

Related guides

• How to Find Your Main Water Shut-Off in a Winston-Salem Home

Sources: American Red Cross, Frozen Pipes; National Weather Service Blacksburg (covers Forsyth County).