To prevent frozen pipes, keep your heat at the same setting day and night, and never below 55°F when you travel. Shut off and drain outdoor faucets, and insulate pipes in unheated spaces. On the coldest nights, open sink cabinets and let a cold faucet drip. These steps come from the American Red Cross.
American Plumbing is a family-owned plumbing company in Lansing that has fixed leaking and failing pipe since 2015. This guide covers frozen pipes in Lansing homes from start to finish: how to prevent them, how to spot one, how to thaw it safely, and what to do first if a pipe bursts.
Why do pipes freeze in Lansing homes?
Pipes freeze when the water inside them gets cold enough to turn to ice. Ice takes up more room than water, so pressure builds until the pipe splits. The leak often shows up later, when the ice melts.
Mid-Michigan winters bring long stretches below freezing. The Lansing Board of Water & Light (BWL) notes that its own water mains break more often when it is below 32°F. The pipes inside your house face the same cold, especially the ones that sit in unheated spaces.
Which pipes are most likely to freeze?
The pipes most likely to freeze are the ones exposed to outside air or in spaces your furnace does not heat. The American Red Cross lists these as the usual trouble spots:
- Outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool lines and sprinkler supply lines
- Pipes in crawl spaces, attics, garages and unheated basements
- Pipes under kitchen and bathroom sinks on outside walls
- Pipes that run along exterior walls with little insulation
- The spot where your water service comes in through the foundation
How to prevent frozen pipes in Lansing: a season checklist
The best way to prevent frozen pipes in Lansing is to do a few jobs before the first hard freeze, then add a few more during cold snaps. This table puts the Red Cross advice on a timeline.
| When | What to do | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Before the first freeze | Disconnect and drain garden hoses. Close the inside valve to each outdoor faucet, then open the outdoor faucet to drain it. | Water left in the line can freeze and split the pipe inside the wall. |
| Before the first freeze | Add foam pipe sleeves or UL-listed heat cable to pipes in garages, crawl spaces and under sinks on outside walls. | Insulation slows heat loss so the water stays above freezing. |
| Before the first freeze | Add insulation in the attic, basement rim and crawl space. | Warmer spaces mean warmer pipes. |
| During a cold snap | Keep the garage door closed and open sink cabinet doors. | Lets warm house air reach the pipes. |
| During a cold snap | Let cold water drip from a faucet served by exposed pipes. | Moving water is much harder to freeze. |
| During a cold snap | Keep the thermostat at the same setting day and night. | A lower night setting is when many pipes freeze. |
| When you travel | Leave the heat on, no lower than 55°F. Have someone check the house. | An empty, cold house is the highest risk. |
Move cleaning products out of reach of kids and pets when you leave cabinet doors open.
How do you know if a pipe is frozen?
If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. That is the first sign the Red Cross lists.
Check the likely spots first: pipes on outside walls, under sinks on outside walls, and where the water line enters through the foundation. You may see frost on the pipe or a bulge. If one pipe is frozen, check the other faucets too, because others may be frozen.
How do you thaw a frozen pipe safely?
You thaw a frozen pipe with slow, gentle heat while the faucet stays open. Follow these steps from the Red Cross:
- Open the faucet the frozen pipe feeds. Running water helps melt the ice.
- Warm the frozen section with a hair dryer, an electric heating pad, or towels soaked in hot water. A portable space heater works if you keep it away from anything that can burn.
- Never use a torch, propane or kerosene heater, charcoal stove or any open flame.
- Keep heating until full water pressure comes back.
- Check every other faucet in the house.
Call a licensed plumber if you cannot find the frozen spot, cannot reach it, or cannot get it to thaw. Also call if the pipe looks split. A cracked pipe will start leaking as soon as it thaws.
What should you do first if a frozen pipe bursts?
Shut off your main water valve first. A burst supply line keeps pouring water until the main is closed.
- Close the main shutoff. In most homes it is where the water line comes into the house, often in the basement near the meter. Find it before winter so you are not hunting in an emergency.
- Open a few faucets to drain the water left in the lines.
- Keep away from wet outlets and electrical panels. If water is near electrical, stay out of the area and call for help.
- Take photos of the damage before cleanup for your insurance company.
- Call a plumber. American Plumbing gives same-day priority to active leaks. After-hours service runs Monday through Friday from 4 to 9 PM, and weekends from 8 AM to 8 PM. The extra after-hours charge is quoted before a technician is sent.
Can pipes that keep freezing be fixed for good?
Yes. If the same pipe freezes every winter, the long-term fix is usually more insulation or moving the pipe. The Red Cross suggests relocating exposed pipes to protect them from freezing.
American Plumbing repairs and replaces failing pipe and does whole-house repiping. Every repair and installation carries a one-year warranty on both materials and labor.
Stay ahead of frozen pipes in Lansing
A little work in November saves a soaked basement in January. Drain the outdoor faucets, insulate the cold spots, keep the heat steady, and know where your main shutoff is. American Plumbing can help you stay ahead of frozen pipes in Lansing, from a cold-weather check to a burst pipe repair.
Frequently asked questions about frozen pipes
Should I drip hot water or cold water to keep pipes from freezing?
Drip cold water. The American Red Cross recommends letting cold water drip from a faucet served by exposed pipes when it is very cold outside. Even a trickle keeps water moving so it is less likely to freeze. Choose the faucet on an outside wall or the one farthest from where water enters.
Can a frost-free outdoor faucet still freeze?
Yes, it can. A frost-free faucet is built to drain itself, but only when nothing is attached. If a garden hose is left connected, water stays trapped in the valve and can freeze and crack it inside the wall. Disconnect every hose before the first hard freeze, even on frost-free faucets.
Should I shut off my water when I leave for a winter trip?
Leave the heat on no lower than 55°F, as the Red Cross advises, and ask someone to check the house. For a long trip, shutting off the main valve adds protection, because a burst pipe cannot keep running. Ask your plumber whether your home also needs the lines drained.
How do I know if it is a city water main break instead of my pipes?
The Lansing Board of Water & Light says signs of a main break include discolored water, low pressure or water running in the road when no crews are working. BWL customers can report it at 517-702-6490. If only one faucet in your house is affected, the problem is more likely your own pipes.
Does American Plumbing serve my town?
American Plumbing serves homes within about 60 miles of Lansing. That includes East Lansing, Okemos, Haslett, DeWitt, Bath, Grand Ledge, St. Johns, Holt, Mason, Williamston, Charlotte, Eaton Rapids, Portland, Owosso, Ionia, Fowlerville, Howell and Jackson. Call (517) 485-5550 to check your address and schedule service.
Call American Plumbing about frozen or burst pipes
Have a frozen pipe or want your home checked before the deep cold? Call American Plumbing at (517) 485-5550 or request a free estimate online.
More winter plumbing tips: water heater repair vs. replacement in Lansing.