A frozen pipe often gives warning before it bursts: a faucet suddenly slows, frost appears on exposed pipe, or one wall or cabinet feels unusually cold. Act early and avoid aggressive thawing.
SAFE FIRST STEPS
What you can do now
Turn on the affected faucet slightly. If flow is weak or absent during freezing weather, treat the line as possibly frozen.
Locate the main water shutoff now, before any thawing attempt, and make sure you know which direction closes it.
Open nearby cabinet doors and gently warm the room with normal indoor heat.
Never use a torch, open flame, propane heater, or unattended high-heat device on plumbing.
Check both sides of nearby walls, ceilings, crawlspaces, and floors for dampness, bulging paint, dripping, or ice.
If the pipe begins flowing again, keep watching the area for leaks because a split may only become obvious as ice melts.
A note on safety
These are general property care suggestions, not a substitute for licensed or emergency service. If there is an immediate risk to people, the building, or utility lines, contact the appropriate emergency service first.
