How to Prevent Frozen Pipes in Western Washington This Winter

In places with long, cold winters, homes are built for freezing weather. Pipes run inside warm walls and are well insulated. Here, many homes were built for mild winters. Pipes often run through vented crawl spaces, unheated garages and outside walls.

That works fine most of the year. But every few winters, cold arctic air settles over Western Washington for days at a time. Temperatures drop into the teens or low 20s, and pipes that never froze before suddenly do. Homes on hills and in valleys, like parts of Sammamish and Woodinville, can be colder than homes by the lake.

• Outdoor faucets (hose bibs), especially with a hose still attached.
• Pipes in crawl spaces, where cold air flows through foundation vents.
• Pipes in garages, including those feeding a laundry room or bonus room.
• Pipes in outside walls, like those under kitchen and bathroom sinks.
• Irrigation lines and backflow devices.
• Pipes in attics or above unheated rooms.

Do these steps in fall, before the first hard freeze.

1. Disconnect garden hoses and drain them. A hose traps water in the faucet.
2. Cover outdoor faucets with foam covers from a hardware store.
3. Shut off and drain outdoor faucets if they have an inside shut-off valve.
4. Blow out irrigation lines or have your landscaper do it.
5. Insulate exposed pipes in the crawl space, garage and attic with foam pipe sleeves.
6. Close crawl space vents during hard freezes, and reopen them after if your home needs it.
7. Seal cold air leaks near pipes, like gaps where pipes go through walls.
8. Find your main water shut-off and make sure it turns.

• Keep the heat at 55 degrees or higher day and night, even if you leave town.
• Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
• Let a faucet drip on the coldest nights. Moving water is less likely to freeze, and a drip relieves pressure if ice forms.
• Keep the garage door closed if water lines run through it.
• Do not use open flames or unattended space heaters near pipes.

Leaving town in winter? Shut off the main water and open a faucet to drain the lines, or ask a neighbor to check the house daily. Many insurance policies expect heat to be kept on. Read what insurance usually covers.

If you turn on a tap and only a trickle comes out, a pipe may be frozen. Act fast but carefully.

1. Keep the faucet open so water can flow as the ice melts.
2. Warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer, a heating pad, or towels soaked in warm water.
3. Start near the faucet and work back toward the frozen section.
4. Never use a torch, open flame or propane heater.
5. If you cannot find or reach the frozen spot, call a plumber.

Watch closely while it thaws. A pipe that split while frozen will start leaking as soon as the ice melts. Know where your shut-off is before you start.

If the same pipe freezes year after year, a few permanent upgrades are worth it.

Before winter, it also helps to know your water heater and its shut-off. Tankless heaters on outside walls need their own freeze protection, so check the maker's guide.

1. Shut off the main water valve right away.
2. Turn off power to wet areas if you can do it from a dry spot.
3. Open faucets to drain the remaining water from the lines.
4. Take photos and video for insurance.
5. Call a plumber to fix the pipe and a restoration company to remove water and dry the home.

Water from a burst pipe can soak walls, floors and ceilings in minutes. Our first hour checklist has more detail. We handle burst pipes across Kirkland, Bothell, Mill Creek and the Eastside.