Frozen & Burst Pipes · Missoula, MT
Frozen & Burst Pipe Repair in Missoula, MT
With about 45 days a year that never get above freezing, Missoula's winters are long enough to find every weak spot in a house's plumbing. Here's what to do when one gives out.
Request a plumberSpotting a frozen line
The first sign is usually a faucet that slows to a trickle or stops while others still work. Toilets that won't refill and frost on exposed pipe in a basement, crawl space or garage confirm it. If the whole house is dry, the freeze is likely near where the service line comes in.
Thaw it the safe way
Open the faucet that the frozen line feeds so water can escape as it melts. Warm the pipe slowly with a hair dryer or warm towels, starting near the faucet. Never use a torch, a propane heater or any flame near pipes; wall and floor fires are a real winter risk.
Watch for the split
A pipe can crack while frozen and only leak once it thaws. Stay close while the water starts moving again, and be ready to close the main. Split copper, cracked fittings and swollen plastic lines need to be cut out and replaced by a plumber.
Where Missoula homes freeze
Pipes along north-facing walls, under floors above unheated crawl spaces, in garages, and in additions built over open foundations are the usual culprits. Older houses that have been remodeled often have a pipe or two routed somewhere cold that nobody remembers until January.
Stop it happening again
After a repair, ask the plumber which runs need insulation, heat cable or rerouting to a warmer wall. Closing crawl space vents, sealing gaps around the foundation and keeping cabinet doors open on the coldest nights all help.
What to tell us
Which fixtures are dry, where you think the frozen section is and whether any water has escaped. Send a request and a plumber will get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
- How cold does it have to be for pipes to freeze?
- It depends on where the pipe is and how long the cold lasts. Pipes in unheated or drafty spaces can freeze during a long spell below about 20°F, and faster in wind.
- Is heat cable safe to use?
- Heat cable made for pipes is safe when installed to the maker's instructions and plugged into a proper outlet. Don't wrap it over itself or cover it with insulation unless the product allows it.
Other plumbing services
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Repairs, renovations and new projects. Tell us what you need and we'll pass it straight to a plumber, who will call you to go over the job and give you a quote.
- Plumbing repairs, renovations and new projects
- Missoula and the surrounding valleys
- Get a quote before any work starts
Need frozen & burst pipes in Missoula?
Send a request and a plumber will get in touch. Requests answered 7 days a week.
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