When should I call a plumber for frozen pipes?

The short answer

Call a plumber when the pipe has split or is leaking, when the frozen section is out of reach, or when gentle heat has not thawed it. An exposed pipe that is frozen but intact is often one you can thaw yourself, and our guide to thawing a frozen pipe safely covers how. If no faucet in the house works, start with your water utility instead.

Call a plumber right away when

The pipe has split or is leaking. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue's order: "If the pipe breaks, quickly shut off the water valve, if you haven't already done so. Then call a plumber."^[1] Its reason: "They have the know-how to correctly fix the break."^[1] Watch as the pipe warms, because "In most cases, the actual break doesn't appear until the water begins to thaw."^[1] A pipe that looks sound while frozen can still turn out to be split.

Water is coming through a ceiling, wall or floor. Close the main valve first, then call the plumber.

Water is near electrical equipment or a gas appliance. That is a call to the fire department before the plumber. 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.^[1] For emergencies, including gas leaks, it says to call 911.^[1]

The frozen section is inside a wall, a ceiling or a crawl space you cannot get into. Reaching it means opening finishes or working in a tight, cold space, and that is where a plumber's tools and experience earn their fee.

It will not thaw. Room temperature heat and careful use of a hair dryer are good methods,^[1] but if steady, gentle warmth has not brought water back, stop. Do not escalate to a torch: Loudoun Water's advice is to never thaw a pipe with an open flame.^[3]

It keeps happening. A line that freezes every winter usually runs somewhere cold. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue suggests that after a break you may consider having the pipe or pipes rerouted through less vulnerable areas.^[1]

When to call the water utility first

If no faucet in the house runs, the freeze may be at the meter or in the service line, and who fixes it depends on which side of the meter it is on. Ask your own utility where its side ends. In Montgomery County: "The PSA owns lines to the meter, and the property owner is responsible from the meter to the home."^[4] So there, a frozen line between the meter and the house is the owner's to fix, usually with a plumber. The PSA adds that the meter box and meter are PSA property and should be entered by PSA personnel only.^[4]

If you suspect a frozen pipe or meter, Loudoun Water asks customers to contact it, by phone during business hours or on its after-hours emergency line,^[3] and asks them not to open the meter crock themselves, because it can damage the meter and result in fines.^[3] Some utilities also take burst-pipe calls. If your pipe bursts during normal working hours, Virginia Beach Public Utilities asks you to call it at 757-385-4171, and to call 311 after hours, on weekends or on holidays.^[2] Look up your own utility's number now and keep it with your water bill.

Heat tape and other electrical problems

If a pipe froze even though it has heat tape, the tape may have failed. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue's caution is to be careful with specially designed, UL approved heat tapes and to follow the directions exactly; a slight variation could cause a fire.^[1] A plumber can fix the pipe; an electrician handles any heating cable that is wired in.

Hiring the plumber

Virginia's Board for Contractors warns: "A license number in an advertisement or on a business card does not necessarily mean the contractor's license is valid."^[5] Check it on DPOR's lookup; our guide on checking a contractor's licence in Virginia walks through it. The Board says: "Unlicensed contracting is against the law."^[5] It adds that if you contract with someone who does not hold a license, the Board for Contractors may not be able to help you resolve a complaint,^[5] and that if you want only plumbing work, you may want to hire a contractor licensed in that specialty.^[5]

Virginia law requires all licensed contractors to provide a written contract for residential work,^[5] so ask for the price and scope in writing before work starts. Ask the plumber, too, whether the repair needs a building permit. If it does, the Board's advice is: "Licensed contractors should apply for and obtain all building permits, not the consumer."^[5]

When you call, give the plumber the facts that shape the visit: where the pipe is, whether it is leaking, whether the main is closed, and whether it runs behind a wall or in a crawl space. Our answer on what a frozen pipe repair costs in Virginia covers what to ask for in the quote.

Stop and call a pro if

• The pipe is split, bulging or leaking, or water is coming through a ceiling or wall. Close the main valve first.
• Water is in or near outlets or the electrical panel, or threatens a pilot light or power to a water heater or furnace: call the fire department, as Fairfax County Fire and Rescue advises.
• You cannot find the frozen section, or it is inside a wall, ceiling or floor.
• Gentle heat has not thawed it.
• No faucet in the house runs: call the water utility first.
• The pipe froze even though it has heat tape, or it needs a wired-in heating cable: have an electrician look at the tape or cable, and a plumber at the pipe.

On Loclis, plumbing is licensed work at any job size, so an unlicensed quote is refused, and the directory shows each business's DPOR licence number and class. Find plumbers in Blacksburg, browse frozen pipe repair or burst pipe repair, read how to tell if your pipes are frozen, or see all plumbing repair answers.

When it is time, describe the frozen pipe once and licensed local plumbers quote it.