Plumbing tips · November 9, 2026
A faucet that gives nothing on a cold morning
If a faucet barely trickles or gives nothing at all after a hard freeze, the pipe feeding it is likely frozen. How you thaw it decides whether it stays a frozen pipe or becomes a burst one.
Find where it froze
Check which faucets still run. If only one sink or one bathroom is out, the frozen section is usually in an outside wall, under a cabinet or in the attic near that fixture.
Open the faucet first
Turn on the faucet the pipe feeds, both hot and cold. As the ice melts the water needs somewhere to go, and running water helps melt the rest.
Thaw it gently
Use a hair dryer, a heating pad, or towels soaked in hot water, working from the faucet back toward the frozen spot. Open the cabinet doors and warm the room. Never use a torch, a heat gun or an open flame: they start fires and can burst the pipe.
Watch for a split
Ice can crack a pipe without leaking until it thaws. Watch the area as the water comes back, and know where the main shut-off is in case it starts to spray.
Questions we get asked
Will a frozen pipe thaw on its own?
Often, once the weather warms, but slowly, and a crack may not show until it does. Thawing it with gentle heat while you watch is safer than finding the leak later.What if I cannot reach the frozen pipe?
If it is inside a wall or ceiling, warm the room and leave the faucet open. If it does not come back, or you see water staining, have it looked at before opening anything up.Can I use a space heater?
A space heater can warm a room or a crawl space, but keep it well clear of anything that burns and never leave it running unattended.Plumbing questions we answer
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Parker, Wise and Tarrant County, out of the shop in Springtown. Springtown, Weatherford, Azle, Boyd, Decatur, Newark, Millsap, Fort Worth and the country in between.
Call 817-487-8866