The Edit — Home & Garden
How to Prevent Frozen Pipes, and Thaw One Safely
Drain the outdoor faucets, sleeve the exposed pipes, drip the tap in a cold snap and never leave the heat below 55°F. The Red Cross's rules, why pipes burst where they do, and 3 things to buy.
This guide is research-led: we have not handled these units ourselves. If you buy through our links we may earn a commission — it never changes a pick.Research-led, nothing handled. We may earn from links; it never changes a pick. How we choose
This page sets out the American Red Cross’s rules for keeping water pipes from freezing and thawing one that has, and the 3 products those rules point to, chosen as How we choose describes. Nothing here was handled or tested.
Hedoc Pro Outdoor Faucet Covers for Winter, 2 Pack
Good fit Hose bibs on an exposed wall
Not for A buyer who wants a thicker shell, which splits owners
Duck Brand Foam Pipe Covers, 0.75 in x 1 ft, 6 Sticks
Good fit Short runs under a sink or along a wall
Not for An adhesive seam that some owners find weak
Frost King HC6A Automatic Electric Heat Cable Kit, 6 ft
Good fit A short run of pipe in a crawl space or garage
Not for A buyer who expects it to last many winters, which splits owners
Outdoor faucets and unheated spaces freeze first
The pipes at risk, per the Red Cross, are those exposed to severe cold: outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines and sprinkler lines. Next come supply pipes in unheated spaces, such as basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages and kitchen cabinets, and pipes along exterior walls with little insulation. Walk the house in October and list every one.
Drain each outdoor faucet before the first hard freeze
An outdoor faucet is the pipe most exposed to the cold. The Red Cross’s sequence is to remove, drain and store the hoses, close the inside valve that supplies each hose bib, then open the outside tap to drain. Leave it open, so any water left in the pipe has room to expand.
A cover adds a layer over the drained tap. The Hedoc Pro covers come 2 to a pack and rate 4.6 across 1,334 ratings. Owners say they go on and off easily, insulate well and stay put in wind. Thickness splits them.
Hedoc Pro Outdoor Faucet Covers for Winter, 2 Pack
2 insulated covers for outdoor faucets, which owners say stay on in wind.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Pack | 2 covers |
|---|---|
| Size | 6 in |
Owners like how easily they fit and that they stay on in wind. Some wanted a thicker shell.
Buy it if
- Hose bibs on an exposed wall
Don't buy it if
- A buyer who wants a thicker shell, which splits owners
Foam sleeves protect exposed pipes, hot and cold alike
The Red Cross advises insulating both hot and cold pipes in the garage and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and names a pipe sleeve as one way to do it. Duck foam pipe covers fit 3/4-inch pipe in 1-foot sticks, 6 to a pack, at 4.6 across 1,777 ratings. Owners call them good value and useful outdoors, and like that no cutting is needed. The adhesive seam draws mixed reports.
Duck Brand Foam Pipe Covers, 0.75 in x 1 ft, 6 Sticks
Six 1-foot foam sleeves for 3/4-inch pipe that owners say need no cutting.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Fits | 3/4 in pipe |
|---|---|
| Pieces | 6 sticks, 1 ft each |
Owners praise the value and the no-cut fit. The adhesive is the weak point.
Buy it if
- Short runs under a sink or along a wall
Don't buy it if
- An adhesive seam that some owners find weak
UL-listed heat cable keeps an unheated run above freezing
Where a pipe runs through a crawl space or garage that drops below freezing for days, insulation slows the cold but does not stop it. The Red Cross names UL-listed heat tape or heat cable for exposed pipes. The Frost King HC6A is a 6-foot automatic heat cable kit, at 4.6 across 6,448 ratings. Owners say it keeps pipes from freezing and installs easily. Heat output and how many winters it lasts are mixed. Check the box for the UL mark before buying any heat cable.
Frost King HC6A Automatic Electric Heat Cable Kit, 6 ft
A 6-foot electric heat cable kit that warms a pipe automatically in the cold.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Length | 6 ft |
|---|---|
| Control | Automatic |
Owners say it stops pipes freezing and goes on easily. Some doubt it lasts many winters.
Buy it if
- A short run of pipe in a crawl space or garage
Don't buy it if
- A buyer who expects it to last many winters, which splits owners
Space heater watts and safety covers the other plug-in heat people reach for in a cold basement.
In a cold snap, drip the tap and hold the heat at 55°F or more
When a hard freeze is forecast, the Red Cross says to let cold water drip from any faucet served by exposed pipes, because even a trickle helps stop them freezing. Open the kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors so warmer room air reaches the plumbing, and move cleaning products out of children’s reach. Keep the thermostat at the same setting day and night until the cold passes, and never below 55°F if the house will be empty.
Thaw a frozen pipe with gentle heat, never a flame
If a tap gives only a trickle in a freeze, a pipe has likely frozen. The Red Cross names 4 safe ways to heat that section: an electric heating pad, a hair dryer, a space heater kept away from anything flammable, or towels soaked in hot water. Never use a blowtorch, a kerosene or propane heater, a charcoal stove or any open flame. Keep heating until full water pressure returns, and call a licensed plumber if the frozen section cannot be found or reached.
For the rest of winter at home, the winter car emergency kit covers the driveway, the right indoor humidity in winter covers the air inside, and humidifiers compared sets 7 machines side by side for a house the heating has dried out.
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