How to Prevent Frozen Pipes in a Massachusetts Winter
Every January, the coldest week of the year fills our phone with frozen pipe calls — and about a third of them become burst pipe calls. Almost all of it is preventable. Here's what actually works.
Know where your pipes freeze
Pipes don't freeze randomly. They freeze in exterior walls (especially kitchen sinks on an outside wall), crawlspaces, unheated basements and garages, attics, and anywhere a draft hits a pipe. Cape Cod and South Coast cottages that were built for summer use are particularly vulnerable.
Before the first cold snap
- Disconnect garden hoses and shut off outdoor spigots from inside, or install frost-free spigots.
- Insulate exposed pipes in the basement, crawlspace and garage with foam sleeves — cheap and effective.
- Seal drafts around sill plates, dryer vents and pipe penetrations where cold air reaches pipes.
- If you have a seasonal home, get it properly winterized: drained, blown out, and traps filled with antifreeze.
During extreme cold
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
- Let vulnerable faucets drip — moving water is much harder to freeze.
- Keep the thermostat at a steady temperature day and night; the overnight setback that saves money in October can freeze a pipe in January.
- If you're leaving town, never set the heat below 55°F, and have someone check the house.
If a pipe freezes
Turn off the main water shutoff. Open the affected faucet. Warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or space heater — never a torch or open flame. If you can't find the frozen section or the pipe has already split, call us. A frozen pipe that hasn't burst yet is an urgent call, not an emergency; a pipe that has burst is an emergency.