


#Freeze pipe professional#
If you see cracks or leaks, call a water damage professional right away. When your pipes freeze, water pressure inside the system can exceed 40,000 psi, so you may not want to wait.ĭepending on the location of the pipe, you can usually thaw it with a heat lamp or hair dryer. Frost on pipes under cabinets or in the basementįrozen water pipes will eventually thaw, but a hard freeze here in Chicago can last for several days.If you think your pipes are frozen, look for these signs. When frozen pipes burst and flood the house, it’s obvious right away, but pipes don’t always rupture when they freeze. Frozen pipe bursts in crawl spaces are another problem area residents deal with every winter. Water pipes in attics and garages are also prone to freezing. When moisture in the ground freezes, it expands, and that action can damage a concrete slab foundation.Ī basement can withstand seasonal expansions and contractions, but it’s difficult to insulate the area against frigid temperatures. The same cold weather that freezes basement pipes is also the reason so many Chicago homes are built with this feature. Where Are Frozen Pipes Most Commonly Located? However, a combination of strong winds and high wintertime humidity can cause pipes to freeze and burst at warmer temperatures. In most cases, water pipes freeze when the temperature falls to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. By December and through late February, the mercury dips well below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. By the middle of November, we’re dealing with freezing temperatures in Chicago. The city’s average winter forecast tells the story. Regardless of the conditions, this time of year takes a toll on pipes inside and outside homes and businesses.

Freezing precipitation buries us under lake effect snow. They can quietly send overnight temperatures below zero. Our winters can roar in on winds howling across Lake Michigan. What Causes Water Pipes to Freeze in Chicago? We want you to stay safe all winter, so we’ve put together this guide covering everything you need to know about frozen pipes. This time of year, our teams stay busy helping Chicago residents recover from frozen water pipe that have bursts in their homes and businesses. Residents across the city take it all in stride, but we never get used to the freezing effect it has on our plumbing.Īre you ready to deal with frozen pipes when they break and flood the house? We break records, shovel snow and shiver through historic polar vortexes. Some years, it seems like Chicago winters are the coldest in the nation.
