Utah's cold snaps and dry freeze-thaw cycles put pipes at real risk. Here's how to protect the vulnerable spots, what to do if a pipe freezes, and the signs of a line that's already burst.
Utah winters are hard on plumbing in a specific way: cold, dry air and big day-to-night temperature swings mean pipes in exposed spots can freeze faster than homeowners expect. A frozen pipe is inconvenient; a burst frozen pipe can flood a home. The good news is that prevention is mostly simple and cheap.
Why pipes burst when they freeze
It's counterintuitive: the pipe doesn't usually split where the ice is. As water freezes it expands, and that expansion builds pressure between the ice blockage and a closed faucet downstream. The pipe fails at the weakest point along that pressurized section. That's why the damage often shows up somewhere other than the coldest spot.
The vulnerable spots to protect
Focus your effort where cold air reaches the pipe:
- Exterior hose bibs. Disconnect and drain garden hoses in the fall. A hose left attached traps water in the spigot, which freezes and cracks the valve behind the wall. If you have interior shutoffs for the hose bibs, close them and drain the line.
- Pipes in exterior walls. These are the classic freeze point. On the coldest nights, open cabinet doors under kitchen and bathroom sinks on outside walls so heated room air reaches the pipes.
- Crawlspaces, garages, and unheated basements. Wrap exposed pipes with foam pipe insulation — a few dollars per length at any hardware store. Seal drafts and foundation vents that blow cold air across the pipes.
- The garage-side water heater and laundry lines. If your water heater or washer connections sit in an unheated garage, insulate the supply lines.
On the coldest nights
When a hard freeze is forecast:
- Let vulnerable faucets drip. A slow trickle relieves pressure and keeps water moving.
- Keep the house above 55°F, even when you're away. Don't set the thermostat back too far overnight during a cold snap.
- Open interior doors to let heat circulate to rooms with plumbing on exterior walls.
If a pipe freezes but hasn't burst
If a faucet only trickles or stops during a freeze, you may have a frozen section that hasn't failed yet:
- Open the faucet so water can flow once the ice melts and pressure has somewhere to go.
- Apply gentle heat to the frozen section — a hair dryer, a space heater kept clear of anything flammable, or towels soaked in warm water. Start near the faucet and work back toward the cold spot.
- Never use an open flame. A blowtorch on a pipe is how house fires start.
- If you can't reach the frozen section or flow doesn't return, call before it thaws into a leak.
Signs a pipe already burst
Sometimes the freeze passes and the damage only shows when things thaw. Watch for:
- No water or weak flow from a fixture after a cold night
- Wet spots, bubbling paint, or stains on walls and ceilings
- A hissing or rushing sound inside a wall
- A sudden jump in the water bill
If you see these, shut off the main water supply and call. Fast leak detection and repair limits the water damage, which is usually far costlier than the pipe itself.
A little fall preparation prevents most winter plumbing emergencies. If a freeze does get ahead of you, we're available 24/7 across Utah and Salt Lake counties.
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