Getting Your Pipes Through a Moncton Winter

Know your cold spots

Exterior walls, kitchen sinks on outside walls, crawl spaces, garages and basement corners where cold air leaks in around the sill. Feel the walls and floors on a cold day; if a spot feels cold, the pipe behind it does too.

Before the cold arrives

Disconnect garden hoses and shut off and drain outdoor taps from inside. Insulate pipes you can reach, seal gaps around the foundation and check that the basement or crawl space stays above freezing.

During a cold snap

Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls, let a tap drip slightly, and keep the thermostat steady overnight. If a Nor'easter knocks the power out, drip more taps and keep doors to cold rooms closed.

If a pipe freezes

Open the tap it feeds and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer, starting near the tap. Never use an open flame. If you can't find the frozen spot, or it's inside a wall, get help.

When you go away

Keep the heat on at a moderate setting and ask someone to check the house. For longer trips, consider shutting off the main and draining the lines, and turning the hot water tank off or to vacation.

Get help

If a pipe has split or water is coming through a wall or ceiling, shut off the main and see frozen and burst pipes.

After the thaw

When a cold snap breaks, walk the basement, crawl space and garage looking and listening for leaks. A split often only shows as water starts moving again.

More plumbing guides

• The Spring Thaw and Your Basement
• Finding Your Main Shut-Off Valve
• How Old Is Your Hot Water Tank?
• Why Your Basement Floor Drain Smells
• Checking a New Brunswick Plumber