How to find a frozen pipe, thaw it safely and stop a burst.

You turn on the kitchen faucet on a bitter morning and get a trickle, or nothing. That usually means ice is blocking a pipe somewhere between the street and the tap. A frozen pipe is not a disaster yet. What you do next can decide whether it becomes one.

The stakes are real. Michigan State Police’s MI Ready program says a crack of just one eighth of an inch can leak up to 250 gallons of water a day.

Signs a pipe is frozen

• A trickle or no water. The Red Cross says to suspect a frozen pipe if only a trickle comes out when you turn on a faucet.
• Frost on the pipe. It shows up most easily on exposed metal pipes.
• A bulge or crack. Treat this as an emergency and shut off the main before doing anything else.
• A pipe that sounds wrong. This Old House says a frozen pipe feels solid or heavy when tapped, and you may hear gurgling or clunking as water squeezes past the ice.
• A bad smell from a drain. This can point to a frozen drain line, because the water sits there instead of flowing away.

How to find a frozen pipe

Most of your plumbing is hidden, so start by working out which part of the system has the problem, then go and look.

1. Run the faucet test

Turn on the faucets around the house, one at a time, and note what each one does.

• One faucet is weak or dry. The freeze is probably in the branch feeding that faucet.
• One room or one floor is out. Look at the line that supplies that room or floor.
• The whole house is out. The freeze may be on the main line, near where water enters the house. It could also be a city problem, so see the Grand Rapids section below before you start hunting.

2. Check the usual spots along that run

The Red Cross lists the pipes that freeze most often:

• Pipes in unheated areas such as basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages and kitchen cabinets
• Pipes that run against exterior walls with little or no insulation
• Pipes exposed to severe cold, such as outdoor hose bibs and sprinkler lines
• The spot where your water service enters through the foundation

3. Feel and look along the pipe

Follow the pipe as far as you can with a flashlight. Run your hand slowly along it, because the frozen section will feel noticeably colder. If you still cannot tell, This Old House Magazine suggests running a damp rag along exposed pipes. Frost that appears on the surface marks the ice plug.

4. Know when to stop

If the frozen section is inside a wall, above a ceiling or under a floor, or you simply cannot find it, this is the time to call a licensed plumber. Do not start cutting into walls to go looking for it.

How to thaw a frozen pipe safely

1. Look at the pipe first. If you can see a crack, bulge or leak, shut off the main water valve and call a plumber. Do not thaw it yet.
2. Open the faucet. The Red Cross says to keep it open, because moving water helps melt the remaining ice. It also shows you when the pipe has cleared.
3. Start near the faucet. Michigan State Police say to begin warming as close to the faucet as possible, then work toward the coldest section.
4. Use gentle heat. An electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, a hair dryer, or towels soaked in hot water all work. A portable space heater can warm the area, as long as it stays away from anything flammable and you stay with it.
5. Keep going until full pressure returns. With direct heat this often takes 30 to 45 minutes. Hard to reach pipes can take several hours.
6. Check every other faucet. If one pipe froze, others may have too.
7. Watch for leaks afterward. Look along the pipe and at nearby walls and floors for moisture. The ice may have been holding back a crack, and water can flow as soon as it melts.

What never to use

The Red Cross rules out a blowtorch, a kerosene or propane heater, a charcoal stove and any other open flame. Keep electric heaters and hair dryers out of standing water, because electrocution is possible.

Should the water be on or off while you thaw?

You will see both answers, even from official sources. The Red Cross says keep the faucet open so moving water helps melt the ice. Michigan State Police say to turn off the water at the main if you detect a frozen pipe, and to call a plumber if nothing comes out of your faucets.

Our reading of both: if the pipe looks whole and you can stay with it, keep the faucet open and thaw it gently. If you see any damage, or you cannot stay and watch it, shut the main first. If you are unsure, call a plumber.

If the pipe has already burst

1. Shut off the main water valve. A round handle turns clockwise until it stops, and a lever takes a quarter turn. It is worth finding this valve before you ever need it.
2. Stay safe around electricity. Turn off the power only if you can reach the panel from a dry spot. If you would have to step into water, the CDC says to call an electrician instead. Have an electrician check the system before the power goes back on.
3. Open a faucet to drain the line. This lets the water left in the pipes run out through the faucet instead of through the split.
4. Photograph everything. Michigan’s insurance regulator advises taking photos or video, and not getting rid of damaged items until your insurer says you can.
5. Call your insurance company, a plumber and a restoration company. The plumber repairs the pipe. A restoration company removes the water and dries the building. Often you need both.
6. Start drying quickly. The EPA says anything that stays wet for more than 24 to 48 hours is at risk of mold.

What causes pipes to burst

Water expands as it freezes, so it is natural to picture ice simply pushing the pipe apart. Research says that is not usually what happens. A University of Illinois study found that ice first blocks the pipe, then further ice growth puts dangerously high pressure on the water trapped behind it.

The International Code Council, citing the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, explains what that means in your house. Pressure builds between the ice and a closed faucet or a second ice blockage. So the pipe often bursts where little or no ice has formed.

That explains two things homeowners notice:

• The leak may not be where the ice was. Check the whole run, not just the frozen spot.
• An open faucet helps. A trickle keeps water moving, and an open faucet gives pressure somewhere to go.

At what temperature do pipes freeze?

The risk starts below 32°F. As a working rule, unprotected pipes generally begin to freeze when it reaches about 20°F outside, according to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. The real answer varies with where the pipe runs, what it is made of and how the house is built.

Draft matters too. Michigan State Police warn that a tiny opening can let in enough cold air to freeze a pipe when the wind chill is severe. So a pipe near a gap can freeze on a night when the rest of the house is fine.

Frozen pipes in Grand Rapids: who is responsible and who to call

This section applies to customers of the Grand Rapids Water System. The system also serves other communities in Kent and Ottawa counties, so if your bill comes from someone else, check with them, as the rules may differ.

• Your side. The city says the owner is responsible from the curb stop, through the yard, to the home and throughout the home.
• The city’s side. The city is responsible for the service line from the main to the curb stop, for the meter itself, and for the couplings on either side of it.
• A frozen meter can still cost you. The Water System Rules, updated January 2026, list freezing among the causes of damage that can be charged to the property. So keep the area around your meter warm and free of drafts.
• Do not touch the curb stop. Under the same rules, only authorized Water System staff, or a contractor the city has authorized, may operate it.
• No water anywhere? Check the city’s outage page first. It may not be your pipes at all.
• Who to call. The Water System’s 24-hour emergency repair line is (616) 456-3000. For routine questions, call 311.

How to prevent frozen pipes and burst pipes

Before winter

• Deal with outdoor faucets. The Red Cross says to remove and drain hoses, close the inside valve feeding each outdoor faucet, then open the outdoor faucet and leave it open so any water left can expand safely.
• Drain sprinkler lines following the manufacturer’s or installer’s directions. Do not add antifreeze unless directed to.
• Insulate. Add insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces, and put pipe sleeves on hot and cold lines in unheated areas. This Old House’s plumbing expert warns that elbows are a very popular place for a freeze, so do not stop the foam just short of them.
• Add heat where needed. Insulation only slows heat loss, the International Code Council notes. In cold spots, use heat tape or cable approved by an independent testing organization such as UL, for the use intended, and follow the instructions closely.
• Seal air leaks. Look around wiring, dryer vents and pipes, and use caulk or insulation to keep cold air out.
• Find your main shutoff and make sure everyone in the house knows where it is.

During a cold snap

• Let cold water drip from faucets served by exposed pipes. Even a trickle helps.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors so warm air reaches the plumbing, and move cleaners and chemicals out of the reach of children.
• Keep garage doors closed if water lines run through the garage.
• Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night. The heating bill may go up, but a burst pipe costs far more.

When you go away

• Leave the heat on. The Red Cross and Michigan State Police say no lower than 55°F. Michigan’s insurance regulator says at least 65°F in the home. We would treat 55 as the floor and stay closer to 65 if you can.
• Have someone check the house. Michigan State Police suggest a friend or neighbor looks in daily.
• Consider shutting off and draining the water. If you have a fire sprinkler system, shutting off the water disables it.
• Gone all winter? Travelers advises winterizing the home, including draining the plumbing and shutting off the water.

Does insurance cover frozen pipes?

Usually the sudden water damage is covered, with conditions. Michigan’s insurance regulator says standard homeowners policies cover winter losses such as burst pipes. Travelers adds that a claim may not be covered if you turned off your heat when leaving and the pipes froze, and that pipe maintenance is the homeowner’s responsibility.

Policies differ, so read yours and ask your agent. Our guide to what homeowners insurance covers in Michigan goes through it in more detail, and this checklist shows how to document the damage.

Frequently Asked Questions