Why Pipes Freeze in NYC
Every winter, New York City plumbers respond to thousands of frozen and burst pipe calls. When temperatures drop below 20°F — which happens multiple times each winter — water inside unprotected pipes can freeze, expand, and crack the pipe. The result is often a burst pipe that floods your home once the ice thaws.
Knowing how to identify frozen pipes, what to do when it happens, and how to prevent it can save you from expensive water damage repairs.
How to Tell If Your Pipes Are Frozen
Watch for these warning signs during cold snaps:
- No water from the faucet. You turn the tap and get nothing, or just a trickle. This is the most common sign.
- Frost on visible pipes. If you can see exposed pipes in your basement, crawl space, or under cabinets and they have frost on them, they’re frozen or close to it.
- Strange smells from drains. A frozen pipe can trap sewage gases that would normally vent upward through the plumbing stack.
- Bulging or cracked pipe. Ice expansion puts enormous pressure on pipe walls. If a pipe looks warped or has visible cracks, it’s likely already burst and will leak once it thaws.
What to Do Right Now
Step 1: Keep the Faucet Open
Open the affected faucet. As the ice begins to melt, flowing water — even a trickle — helps thaw the rest of the blockage. Leave both the hot and cold sides open.
Step 2: Apply Gentle Heat
If you can access the frozen section of pipe, warm it gradually using:
- A hair dryer
- Towels soaked in hot water and wrapped around the pipe
- A portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials)
- Heat tape or heat cable designed for pipes
Never use a blowtorch, propane heater, or any open flame. This is a fire hazard and can cause the pipe to burst from rapid, uneven heating.
Step 3: Check Other Faucets
If one pipe is frozen, others may be too. Check all faucets in the building, especially those on exterior walls, in unheated spaces, or near windows.
Step 4: Know When to Call a Plumber
Call a licensed emergency plumber if:
- You can’t locate the frozen section
- The frozen pipe is inside a wall or ceiling
- The pipe has already burst or is cracked
- You’ve been trying to thaw it for 30+ minutes with no results
- Multiple pipes are frozen throughout the building
What If the Pipe Has Already Burst?
If you see water spraying, pooling, or dripping from a ceiling once the pipe thaws:
- Shut off the main water supply immediately. Every NYC home and apartment should have an accessible shutoff valve. Know where yours is before an emergency.
- Turn off electricity in any area where water is contacting electrical outlets, appliances, or panels.
- Call Karl’s Plumbing at (800) 721-3200 for emergency pipe repair.
- Document the damage with photos for your insurance claim.
How to Prevent Frozen Pipes
Prevention is far cheaper than repair. Here’s what works:
Insulate Exposed Pipes
Foam pipe insulation costs a few dollars per foot and is easy to install on accessible pipes in basements, garages, crawl spaces, and under cabinets. Focus on pipes along exterior walls and in unheated areas.
Keep the Heat On
Never let your home temperature drop below 55°F, even if you’re away. If you’re leaving for a winter vacation, keep the heating system running at a minimum setting.
Open Cabinet Doors
On very cold nights, open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to let warm room air circulate around pipes under sinks — especially those on exterior walls.
Let Faucets Drip
During extreme cold snaps (below 15°F), letting a thin stream of water run through vulnerable faucets prevents freezing. Moving water requires much lower temperatures to freeze.
Seal Drafts
Check for cold air coming in around pipes where they enter through walls or floors. Seal gaps with caulk or spray foam. Even small drafts can cause a nearby pipe to freeze.
Disconnect Outdoor Hoses
Before the first freeze, disconnect and drain garden hoses. Shut off the interior valve that supplies outdoor faucets if you have one.
NYC Buildings Have Unique Risks
Older NYC buildings — especially pre-war construction — often have pipes running through uninsulated exterior walls, unheated basements, and exposed areas near windows. Multi-family buildings face additional risk because a frozen pipe in one unit can cause water damage in units below.
Building managers should ensure that heating systems are maintained and functioning before winter, that all common area pipes are insulated, and that tenants know how to report frozen pipe symptoms early.
Get Ahead of Winter
The best time to deal with frozen pipes is before they freeze. Karl’s Plumbing offers pipe insulation, boiler inspections, and winter-readiness assessments for homes and buildings across Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
If you’re dealing with frozen or burst pipes right now, we’re available 24/7. Call (800) 721-3200 or (718) 263-8600, or request service online.
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