Frozen Pipes — What to Do Right Now
A frozen pipe hasn't burst — yet. The danger is the thaw. Get the water pressure off, warm the pipe gently and have us on standby for the moment it flows again.
Make it safe — before anything else
Never use a blowtorch or open flame
It cracks copper, melts plastic push-fit and sets loft insulation alight. Warm towels or a low hair-dryer only.
Drop the pressure first
Turn the stopcock most of the way off before thawing. If the pipe has split, low pressure means a drip instead of a flood.
Watch the electrics
Frozen pipes in a loft often sit next to lighting cables. If water starts, kill the power at the consumer unit before touching anything.
Photograph before you clean
If it does thaw and leak, take photos and video for the insurer before mopping.
What Kevin (our AI) will check first
Message Kevin and he'll ask exactly these questions before we send an engineer, so we bring the right parts on the first van.
- Where's the frozen run — loft, external wall, under a suspended floor, garage?
- Copper, plastic push-fit, or old iron?
- Is it a cold-water main, hot pipe, or the boiler condensate?
- Has any water come through yet, or is it just no flow at the tap?
- How cold has it been overnight and is a thaw forecast in the next 24 hours?
Common causes of a frozen pipes
Uninsulated pipes in cold voids
Loft, garage and external-wall runs freeze first — usually within 12 hours of -4°C or colder.
Insulation slipped or missing
Foam lagging that's fallen off exposes the pipe. Common where trades have been in the loft and didn't put it back.
Draughty airbricks or vents
Wind chill through a vent turns a mild -1°C night into a -8°C pipe overnight.
Condensate pipe outside
Boiler condensate runs to an outside drain — the narrowest, most exposed pipe in the house and the first to freeze.
Heating switched off
Holidays and empty rentals: the heating is off and internal cupboards drop below freezing after 48 hours.
Honest cost band — why we won't quote blind
Typical
£90 – £180 for on-site thaw and pressure test
Complex
If the pipe has burst on thaw: £160 – £480 to repair depending on access. Loft-lift and re-lag jobs quoted after inspection.
Thaw only is quick. The real cost is preventing the burst — lagging exposed runs after we've thawed them so it doesn't repeat next cold snap. £50 diagnostic and refund-if-not-fixed apply.
Fixed £50 diagnostic
Flat fee. No hourly meter running.
Fair quote or refund
Transparent pricing — refunded if we don't fix it.
Vetted UK engineers
DBS-checked, insured, real reviews.
AI-triaged in seconds
KJ chats first so the right engineer arrives.
Related emergencies
Thawing frozen pipes safely
Emergency guide
Burst pipe
Emergency guide
Frozen boiler condensate pipe
Emergency guide
See all in the emergency plumbing hub — or the leaks & water damage hub.
Areas we cover for frozen pipes
Same-day across Greater Manchester and Rochdale.
Frozen pipes — FAQs
Dealing with a frozen pipes? Chat with Kevin now
Real triage in seconds. £50 diagnostic visit — refunded if we don't fix it.
Related hubs: emergency plumbing, leaks & water damage, all services.
Chat with Kevin about Frozen pipes