A burst pipe from freezing is one of the most expensive common plumbing disasters — the average insurance claim runs into five figures, mostly from water damage rather than the pipe itself. Prevention costs almost nothing: insulation, heat tape and knowing which faucet to drip. This section covers how to keep pipes from freezing, how to thaw them safely if they do, what burst pipe repair costs, and the insurance realities.
Prevention beats repair by 100 to 1
Foam insulation on exposed pipes, sealing air leaks in crawlspaces, and keeping the thermostat above 55°F when away prevent the large majority of freezes. Our prevention checklist takes an afternoon and costs under $50.
Thawing: slow and safe
Hair dryer or heat lamp, working from the faucet back toward the blockage, with the faucet open. Never an open flame — every winter brings house fires from torches on frozen pipes.