Emergency plumbing
Frozen and burst pipe repair
Frozen pipe repair thaws the frozen section safely and checks it for splits; burst pipe repair replaces the split section and fixes whatever let it freeze. Pipes in exterior walls, crawlspaces, garages, hose bibs and sprinkler lines freeze first during Northern Colorado cold snaps, and they often don't leak until they thaw.
- Typical time
- One to a few hours once located.
- Repair or replace
- Replace the split section and fix the cold spot.
Front Range weather swings hard: a 50-degree afternoon can be followed by a night well below zero, especially when an arctic front drops down the plains. Pipes that sit in cold spots freeze quickly, and water expanding as ice splits copper and rigid plastic. PEX flexes more but its fittings can still fail.
The fix isn't just replacing the split. Insulating, rerouting, air-sealing the cold spot or installing a frost-free hose bib is what keeps it from happening next winter.
Burst & Frozen Pipe Repair at a glance
- What it is
- Frozen pipe repair thaws the frozen section safely and checks it for splits; burst pipe repair replaces the split section and fixes whatever let it freeze.
- Service category
- Emergency Plumbing
Signs you need frozen or burst pipe help
- No water or a trickle from one faucet on a cold morning
- Frost on an exposed pipe
- Water spraying after a thaw
- Wet drywall on an outside wall
- Hose bib leaking inside the wall when turned on in spring
Quick answers
Burst & Frozen Pipe Repair: the short version
How long burst & frozen pipe repair takes
One to a few hours once located.
When frozen or burst pipe can wait, and when it can't
Emergency: shut the main before the pipe thaws.
Fix or replace frozen or burst pipe?
Replace the split section and fix the cold spot.
Why frozen or burst pipe happens
Sub-zero cold snaps, exterior walls, crawlspaces, garages, hose bibs.
The work
How burst & frozen pipe repair is done
- 1
Shut off and locate
Main valve closed; the frozen or split section found.
- 2
Thaw safely
Controlled heat — never an open flame — and check for splits as it thaws.
- 3
Repair
Replace the damaged section with PEX or copper.
- 4
Prevent
Insulate, reroute, seal drafts or install frost-free sillcocks.
What moves the price of burst & frozen pipe repair
Driven by access and the length of damaged pipe, plus prevention work.
- Location and access (walls, crawlspace)
- Length of damaged pipe
- After-hours timing
- Prevention work (insulation, rerouting, sillcocks)
Before you call
Safe first steps: frozen or burst pipe
Safe to do yourself
- •Open cabinet doors on outside walls
- •Warm a frozen pipe gently with a hair dryer or space heater at a safe distance
- •Leave faucets on outside walls dripping on sub-zero nights
Stop and get professional help if
- •Never use a torch or open flame
- •If a pipe has already split, shut the main and call
- •Don't restore water until the split is repaired
Burst & Frozen Pipe Repair: common questions
At what temperature do pipes freeze in Colorado?
Pipes in unheated spaces can freeze when outdoor temperatures stay below about 20°F for several hours, and quickly below zero, especially with wind. Insulated interior pipes are much safer.
Why did my pipe burst when it warmed up?
Ice forms and pressure builds while the pipe is frozen; the split often appears then but leaks only once the ice melts and water flows again.
Service area
Burst & Frozen Pipe Repair across Northern Colorado
Related
Services often paired with burst & frozen pipe repair
Emergency Leak Repair
Emergency leak repair stops water that's actively escaping, from a failed supply line, a cracked fitting, a leaking valve or a split pipe, and makes a permanent repair so water can be turned back on.
Learn more
Whole-House Repiping
Repiping replaces a home's water supply lines, usually failing galvanized steel, polybutylene or pitted copper, with new PEX or copper, restoring pressure and removing the risk of repeated leaks.
Learn more
Backflow Testing & Sprinkler Plumbing
Backflow testing checks that the backflow preventer on your irrigation system stops sprinkler water from flowing back into drinking water.
Learn more
Call about a frozen or burst pipe
Sub-zero cold snaps, exterior walls, crawlspaces, garages, hose bibs.