Preventing Frozen Pipes During an Ohio Winter

A frozen pipe is a minor inconvenience. A burst frozen pipe is a $10,000 problem. Water expands roughly 9% when it freezes, and that expansion can split copper, crack PVC, and pop open fittings you haven't thought about since the house was built. The fix is almost always cheaper than the prevention — if you prevent it.

Which Pipes Are at Risk

The usual suspects in Ohio homes:

• Pipes in exterior walls — especially north and west walls, and especially in older homes with little or no wall insulation
• Crawl space pipes — uninsulated or poorly insulated crawl spaces are the #1 frozen pipe location
• Unheated basements — basement plumbing near foundation sill plates, rim joists, and windows
• Garage plumbing — especially laundry rooms located over or near a garage
• Outdoor hose bibs — if they aren't frost-free and the shutoff wasn't closed in the fall

Prevention: Before the Deep Freeze

1. Insulate vulnerable pipes. Foam pipe insulation from any hardware store, wrapped around pipes in crawl spaces, basements, and cold walls, buys you 10–15°F of protection. Cheap, easy, and DIY.
2. Close the outdoor hose bib shutoff in the fall. Most Ohio homes have an interior shutoff valve for each outdoor hose bib. Close it, then open the outdoor bib to drain the line. Leave the outdoor bib open through winter.
3. Seal air leaks. Rim joist gaps, dryer vent gaps, and utility pass-throughs let cold air directly into pipe bays. Caulk or spray foam them.
4. Consider heat cable on known problem pipes. UL-listed pipe heat cable with a thermostat is a permanent fix for pipes you can't otherwise insulate well.

Prevention: During a Cold Snap

1. Let faucets drip. A pencil-thin stream of cold water at the faucet furthest from the main shutoff (usually an upstairs bathroom on the far side of the house) keeps water moving. Moving water freezes much more slowly than still water.
2. Open cabinet doors under vulnerable sinks. Kitchen and bathroom sinks on exterior walls need heat from the house interior to stay above freezing. Open the cabinet doors so heat can circulate.
3. Keep the thermostat at 55°F minimum if you're traveling. "Setback" heating to save money is fine — dropping the house to 45°F while you're in Florida is not.
4. Know where your main shutoff is. When a pipe bursts, every second matters. Find the main valve now; don't hunt for it while water sprays.

What to Do If a Pipe Freezes

If a faucet won't run but pipes haven't burst yet, you have time to thaw the pipe safely:

1. Open the faucet fully so water can flow as the ice melts.
2. Apply heat to the frozen section with a hair dryer, heat lamp, or electric heating pad. Never use a torch, propane heater, or open flame — you'll start a fire.
3. Start near the faucet and work toward the frozen area so melted water can escape.
4. If you can't access the frozen section, or if you suspect the pipe has already burst, shut off the main water supply and call a licensed plumber.

What to Do If a Pipe Bursts

Shut off the main water valve immediately. Then call (440) 455-9625. JD's Plumbing responds to burst pipe emergencies 24/7 across Avon, Avon Lake, Westlake, and Greater Cleveland — and the faster we get there, the less water damage you're dealing with.