Primer · Winter
Preventing Frozen Pipes
Cold snaps in York Region can turn one exposed pipe into a soaking ceiling. A short list of fall chores keeps water flowing through the cold months.
- Plain steps you can do yourself, safely
- Clear signs for when to stop and call
- Written for Newmarket houses and water
- A plumber on the phone if it goes sideways
What goes wrong in the pipes
Pipes freeze where cold air reaches them: exterior walls, crawlspaces, garages, attics and the rim joist where the floor meets the foundation. When water inside turns to ice, it expands and pressure builds against the nearest closed tap. That pressure, not the ice itself, splits the pipe. Repair bills and insurance claims after a deep freeze are a familiar part of a Newmarket winter, and most of them are avoidable.
Have these on hand
- Pipe insulation sleeves
- Frost-free hose bib cover
- Hair dryer (never a torch)
- Thermometer for the coldest room
Hands-on steps
- Map your risky pipes. Walk the basement and look for lines that run along exterior walls, through garages or under kitchen sinks on outside walls.
- Insulate. Foam pipe sleeves cost little and slide on easily. Seal gaps around the rim joist where cold air enters.
- Add heat cable to pipes in truly unheated spaces, following the manufacturer's instructions.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls during very cold nights so room heat reaches the pipes.
- Let a tap drip on the coldest nights if a line has frozen before. Flowing water resists ice, and the opening bleeds off pressure.
- Keep the heat on. When you travel, set the thermostat no lower than about 15°C and have someone check the house.
- Winterize outdoor taps. See our step-by-step guide.
Mistakes that turn a small repair big
- Setting the heat very low before a trip.
- Using an open flame or a heat gun to thaw a frozen line.
- Insulating a pipe on the cold side but leaving it cut off from the house's heat.
- Forgetting the garage line feeding a laundry or utility sink.
Signs a pipe is starting to freeze
Frost on an exposed pipe, a tap that runs slowly on a cold morning, or a toilet that refills sluggishly can all signal ice forming in a line. Catching it early, before it blocks the pipe completely, makes thawing easier and lowers the chance of a split.
Renovations and new additions
Sunrooms, mudrooms and bump-outs built over open crawlspaces are frequent trouble spots. If you are adding one, keep water lines inside the heated part of the house or insulate the floor below thoroughly. It is far easier to plan around the cold than to fix a frozen line under a new floor.
When to put the tools down and call
If a tap produces only a trickle or nothing on a frigid morning, a pipe has probably frozen. Leave the tap open and call (365) 517-0623; our frozen pipe thawing service clears the ice safely before it splits. Buying an older house? Read buying an older home for pipe issues to inspect. Basements prone to both freezing and flooding may also benefit from a backwater valve.
Asked on site
Should I shut off my water when leaving for winter?
For longer trips, shutting off the main and draining the lines is the safest option. Keep the heat on either way.
Does a dripping tap really help?
Yes, on lines that have frozen before. It relieves pressure and keeps water moving.