Frozen pipe thawing and repair in Aurora, CO

We thaw pipes with controlled heat: heat guns at low settings, heat tape, warm air and, for longer runs, electric pipe thawing machines that pass low voltage current through metal pipe to warm it from the inside. We always work from the faucet side back toward the ice, so melting water has an open path out instead of building pressure behind the blockage.

Open flame is the one thing to avoid. Propane torches near framing and insulation start fires, and overheating a pipe can damage joints. Space heaters set too close to walls are also a fire risk. If you start thawing on your own, use a hair dryer and keep the faucet open, but call us if the pipe is hidden in a wall or will not thaw.

Ice expands as it forms, and that pressure can split copper, crack PEX fittings or break a valve body without any visible sign until the line thaws. We thaw a section, then watch it closely as water starts to move. If the pipe weeps or sprays, we shut it off right away and repair the split before turning the house water fully back on.

We also check pipes and fittings near the frozen section, because cold air that froze one line often reaches others nearby. A hose bib, a washing machine valve or a sprinkler backflow device on the same cold wall may have cracked too. Catching those before full pressure returns prevents a second leak an hour later.

A pipe that freezes once tends to freeze again in the next deep cold. The usual reasons are an exterior wall with little insulation, a gap where cold air leaks in around a rim joist, a garage or crawlspace with no heat, or a run through an unheated attic. Thawing solves today's problem without fixing the cause.

After thawing, we show you where the cold is getting in. Sometimes the fix is simple foam insulation and sealing a gap. Sometimes the line needs heat cable or a reroute to a warmer interior wall. We note what we would do so you can plan the protection before the next cold front arrives.