How do I know if my pipes are frozen?
A faucet that gives only a trickle, or nothing, on a freezing day when the water was fine before is a strong sign. Check which faucets are affected: one fixture points to the pipe feeding it, often on an outside wall or in a crawl space, while the whole house points to the main line or the meter. Frost on a pipe or a bulge is a further clue.
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By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisUpdated
Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.
Step by step
Read when to stop and call a pro, further down this page, before you start.
Step 1: Test the faucet
Open the faucet that stopped; a trickle or nothing at all on a freezing day, when it worked before, points to a frozen pipe.
Step 2: Test hot and cold separately
Run the hot and the cold side on their own, since one can freeze while the other still flows.
Step 3: Check every other fixture
Try each faucet and flush each toilet, and write down which ones work and which do not.
Step 5: Look and feel along the pipe
Look for frost, ice or a bulge on exposed pipe, and feel for the stretch that is much colder than the rest.
Step 6: Look for water
Check ceilings, walls, floors and the crawl space for drips or stains, which mean the pipe may already have split.
Step 7: Rule out the utility
If no faucet anywhere runs, ask a neighbor whether they have water, then call your water utility about the meter or main.
The short answer
On a freezing day, a faucet that gives a trickle or nothing at all, when it worked before, is the clearest sign of a frozen pipe. The next question is which faucets are affected, because that tells you where the ice is and whether a plumber, the water utility or you should deal with it.
Signs your pipes are frozen
Little or no water from one faucet. One fixture runs slowly or not at all while the others are fine, for example a kitchen sink on an outside wall or a bathroom over a crawl space.
Hot works, cold does not, or the other way round. The hot and cold lines are separate pipes and often take different routes. One can freeze while the other flows.
A toilet that will not refill. If the tank stays empty after a flush, the supply line to it may be frozen.
Frost, ice or a bulge on an exposed pipe. In a crawl space, garage or basement, look along the exposed pipe for frost on the outside, a patch of ice, or a stretch that swells out. Loudoun Water explains that water expands as it freezes and this can put tremendous stress on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes.[1]
A section that is much colder than the rest. Run your hand along exposed pipe. The frozen part is often the stretch that feels coldest, usually where it passes a draft, an outside wall or an uninsulated corner.
Where pipes usually freeze
Loudoun Water: "Usually, pipes that freeze are exposed to severe cold weather, like outdoor hose bibs, water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like basements, garages, or kitchen cabinets."[1] Virginia American Water lists the places prone to freezing as crawl spaces, unheated rooms, basements, garages and exterior walls.[4]
Start your search at the faucet that stopped and work back toward the coldest route the pipe could take. In many homes the main shut-off is near the water meter or close to where the water pipe enters the house,[4] so learn where it is while you look; you will need it.
One faucet, several, or the whole house
One fixture. The ice is in the branch that feeds it. This is the case you can most often handle yourself if the pipe is exposed and intact.
Several fixtures. Several dead fixtures usually mean a shared line runs through a cold space, or the house itself has got too cold.
The whole house. Then the freeze is likely in the main line where it enters, in the line underground, or at the meter. Ask a neighbor whether they have water: if they do not, it is probably a utility problem. Meters can freeze too. Loudoun Water says: "To keep meters from freezing during extreme cold snaps, it is important to have a constant flow of water going through the meter."[1] Who handles it depends on your utility. In Montgomery County, "The PSA owns lines to the meter, and the property owner is responsible from the meter to the home."[3] Call your utility before you touch the meter box.
Underground lines are buried below the frost line for a reason. Montgomery County's Public Service Authority notes: "The frost line in Montgomery County is 25 to 30 inches."[3] And: "The PSA recommends 3 feet of cover."[3] A service line laid shallower than that can freeze in a long cold spell.
Has it burst?
Not always visible yet. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue explains: "While this freezing takes place, the pipe begins to swell and may burst."[2] And: "In most cases, the actual break doesn't appear until the water begins to thaw."[2] So look for a split or bulge now, and watch for drips, wet drywall, ceiling stains or the sound of running water as the house warms up.
What to do next
If you have found a frozen pipe that is exposed and intact, close the main valve first; Virginia American Water's rule is: "Do not attempt to thaw pipes without turning off the main water shut-off valve."[4] Then follow our guide to thawing a frozen pipe safely. Once everything runs again, read how to keep pipes from freezing so it does not happen at the next cold snap.
Stop and call a pro if
- You see a split, a bulge or water leaking from the pipe, a ceiling or a wall. Close the main valve and call a plumber.
- You cannot find the frozen section, it is inside a wall, ceiling or floor, or gentle heat will not thaw it.
- No water reaches any faucet and the freeze may be underground or at the meter. Call the water utility first.
- Water is reaching electrical equipment or a gas appliance. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says to call the fire department if the water gets in or near electrical outlets or panels, or if the water threatens a pilot light or power to a water heater or furnace.[2] For emergencies, including gas leaks, it says to call 911.[2]
- The same line freezes every winter.
Read when to call a plumber for frozen pipes and what a frozen pipe repair costs in Virginia, browse frozen pipe repair, find plumbers in Blacksburg, or see all plumbing repair answers.
If you need a plumber, describe the frozen pipe once and licensed local plumbers quote it.
Common questions
- What is the first sign of a frozen pipe?
- Usually a faucet that slows to a trickle or stops on a cold morning when it worked the day before. A toilet that does not refill after a flush can be the same problem on a different line. Check which fixtures are affected, because that tells you where to look.
- Can a pipe be frozen if some faucets still work?
- Yes. Each fixture has its own branch, and the one that freezes is often the one running through the coldest part of the house, such as an exterior wall or a crawl space. Check every faucet anyway, so you know whether more than one line is out.
- How can I tell if a frozen pipe has burst?
- Often you cannot, until it thaws. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue says that as water freezes the pipe begins to swell and may burst, and that in most cases the actual break does not appear until the water begins to thaw. Look for a bulge or a crack, and watch for drips, stains or the sound of running water as the house warms.
- What if no water comes out anywhere in the house?
- Ask a neighbor whether they have water. If they do, the freeze may be in your main line or at the meter, so call your water utility and ask where its side ends. Rules differ by utility. In Montgomery County, for example, the Public Service Authority owns the lines to the meter and the property owner is responsible from the meter to the home.
- Can an underground water line freeze?
- It can when it is buried too shallow for a hard, long freeze. Montgomery County's Public Service Authority gives its frost line as 25 to 30 inches and recommends 3 feet of cover over a water service line. A line that freezes underground is a job for a plumber or the utility, not a hair dryer.
Sources
- [1] Frozen Pipes, Loudoun Water. Checked October 26, 2026.
- [2] Frozen Water Pipes, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. Checked October 26, 2026.
- [3] Water/Sewer: PSA frequently asked questions, Montgomery County, Virginia, Public Service Authority. Checked October 26, 2026.
- [4] Virginia American Water Urges Customers to Prepare for Cold Weather (December 3, 2025), Virginia American Water. Checked October 26, 2026.
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