How to Prevent Frozen Pipes in Your Johnston Home This Winter

Johnston winters are no joke. January lows routinely sit in the low 20s°F, and cold snaps below 10°F happen every year. That's exactly the temperature range where unprotected pipes start to freeze — and a frozen pipe is usually just the opening act before a burst pipe.

Here's what Kwik Plumbing & Heating tells our Johnston customers to do every fall, and what to do if you wake up to a pipe that's already frozen.

Start with the fall walk-through

The easiest frozen pipes to prevent are the ones you address before the first freeze. Walk your house and hit these points:

• Disconnect and drain every garden hose. A hose left attached pulls cold right back into the spigot and through the wall.
• Shut off the interior supply to exterior hose bibs (if you have a stop valve for them) and open the outside bib to drain it.
• Insulate exposed pipes in the basement, crawl space, garage, and attic with foam pipe sleeves. They cost a few dollars per length and take minutes to install.
• Seal air leaks around rim joists, sill plates, and foundation vents. Cold air infiltration is what freezes pipes in otherwise "heated" basements.
• Close foundation vents if your home has a crawl space (open them back up in the spring).

During a cold snap

When the forecast dips below 20°F, switch into protection mode:

• Keep your thermostat at least 60°F day and night, even if you're away. Never drop it below 55°F.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors on exterior walls. This lets warm room air reach the supply lines behind them.
• Let a faucet trickle at fixtures with long pipe runs to exterior walls. A slow, steady stream resists freezing — both the hot and cold side.
• Keep the garage door closed, especially if water lines run through the garage ceiling or wall.

High-risk spots in Johnston homes

Over the years we've fixed a lot of burst pipes in the same places. Watch these:

• Kitchen sink plumbing on a north-facing exterior wall
• Upstairs bathrooms over unheated garages
• Laundry hookups in unfinished basements with rim-joist air leaks
• Frost-free hose bibs that were installed upside down (they won't drain)
• Old copper running through attic space in 1.5-story Cape-style homes

What to do if a pipe has already frozen

First, don't panic. If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, you've caught it early:

1. Leave the faucet open. As the pipe thaws, water needs somewhere to go.
2. Apply gentle heat to the frozen section. A hair dryer, heating pad, or warm towels work well. Start at the faucet end and work back toward the frozen spot.
3. Never use an open flame — propane torches, heat guns, or space heaters pointed at pipes are how fires start.
4. If you can't find the frozen section or you hear water where it shouldn't be, shut off the main water valve and call us.

If a pipe has burst

Shut off the main water valve immediately. Open a cold tap on the lowest level of the house to drain the remaining water. Then call Kwik Plumbing & Heating during our regular business hours. We'll prioritize burst-pipe calls and be out as soon as possible. We don't run overnight callouts, but we respond fast for same-day urgent repairs.

Want us to winterize your outdoor spigots, add pipe insulation in vulnerable spots, or install frost-free bibs? Fall is the right time to book — call us before the cold sets in.