Phones answered 24/7Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Call (833) 490-5225
(833) 490-5225
Serving El Paso County

Frozen and Burst Pipe Damage in Colorado Springs, CO

Cleanup after a supply line or drain pipe splits in a cold snap, from the first shut-off to the last moisture reading in Colorado Springs and El Paso County.

Call (833) 490-5225Free estimate
  • Hail and roof leaks
  • Burst pipes and freezes
  • Burn-scar runoff

Get a fast quote

Fastest: call (833) 490-5225. Or send this and we call you back.

By sending this form you agree that Colorado Springs Water Damage Restoration may call or text you at the number provided about this request. Consent is not a condition of purchase. Message and data rates may apply. See our Privacy Policy.

Frozen Pipes

Frozen and Burst Pipe Damage: what it covers

Quick answer

A pipe that freezes can split, and the water that comes out when it thaws can run for hours before anyone finds it. The first job is to close the main or the branch valve feeding the break, then to remove the water and dry the walls, floors and framing it reached. The line itself is repaired by a licensed plumber, and the water cleanup is a separate job that is done alongside it.

Frozen and Burst Pipe Damage illustration for Colorado Springs, CO

Pipes split when water inside them freezes and expands, and they split most often in spaces that are unheated or poorly insulated. Exterior walls, crawl spaces, garages, the back of a kitchen cabinet that backs onto an outside wall and the lines that run through an unheated attic are the usual places. The break is often in a section that was not visible, so the water does not show until it has run into a wall or a ceiling below.

The damage from a burst pipe depends on how long the water ran before it was stopped. A split that is found in a few minutes leaves a small wet area, while one that runs unseen for a night or a weekend can soak floors, cabinets and the wall board around them. The cleanup starts with stopping the flow, because every hour the water keeps running adds to the area that must be dried.

Service area
Colorado Springs & El Paso County
Availability
Phones answered 24/7
Warning signs

Signs you need frozen and burst pipe damage

Do not touch an electrical fixture or outlet in a room that is wet. Turn off power at the panel before walking into a flooded area. Wear gloves when handling a broken pipe, because the cut edges can be sharp. A frozen line should be thawed by a plumber, not with an open flame.

  • Water running inside a wall or from a ceiling after a cold night, with no tap open
  • A drop in water pressure at the fixtures after a cold spell, followed by a burst of water on thaw
  • A cabinet floor under the kitchen sink that feels soft or shows a dark line at the back wall
  • Frost on an exterior wall or a visible bulge in an unheated pipe run
  • A water meter that keeps turning when every tap in the house is closed
  • A ceiling stain in a room under an uninsulated attic or a garage bathroom
Our process

How our frozen and burst pipe damage visit works

  1. Close the valve that feeds the break

    The branch or the main valve is closed first. Where the break is in one fixture line, the valve under that fixture is often enough. Where the location is unknown, the main valve is closed and the meter is watched until it stops turning.

  2. Let the line drain and check the water

    Once the flow has stopped, the line is opened at a fixture to release the pressure and any water still in the pipe. The water that came out is checked to see whether it is clean supply water or has passed through a drain or a contaminated space.

  3. Remove the standing water and the wet finishes

    Water is extracted from the floor, and the flooring, cabinet bases and baseboard that soaked it up are lifted. Cabinet bases with swollen particleboard are generally removed, because they cannot be dried back to a sound state.

  4. Open the wall and check the framing

    Where the water ran into a wall, a small opening is made so the cavity can be checked. The studs, the sill and any insulation are read with a meter, and soaked insulation is removed so the framing can dry.

  5. Dry the structure and document the break

    Air movers and dehumidifiers are set and the readings are logged until the framing is dry. The broken pipe section is photographed and kept for the plumber, and the record of the water path goes to the homeowner and the insurer.

Job stories

Typical jobs for frozen and burst pipe damage

Typical job
Illustration: Typical job: a split line found on the thaw

Typical job: a split line found on the thaw

What homeowners notice
After a cold night the water pressure drops, and on the next warm morning a supply line in an exterior wall releases water into the wall and down to the lower floor.
What we do
The branch valve is closed and the line drained. The wall is opened at the lowest reading, the soaked insulation is removed and the framing is dried. A plumber repairs the split line on a separate visit.
What to expect
The wall and floor reach the dry standard, the plumber's invoice and the water record are filed together, and the homeowner is shown how the line was protected for the rest of the winter.

One emergency visit, then drying typical visit

What should be done before a cold snap to lower the risk?

Heat and insulate the lines that run through cold spaces, let a faucet drip on the coldest nights where the line is exposed, and know where the main valve is before the first freeze.

A pipe that runs through an exterior wall or an unheated space is the one most at risk. Insulating the line with a foam sleeve and sealing the gap where the pipe enters the wall are inexpensive steps, and the homeowner can do them without a contractor. Opening the cabinet doors under the sink on a cold night lets room heat reach the supply line behind them.

Find the main shut-off and the branch valves before the cold comes. A valve that has not been turned in years may not close, and a stuck valve found during a leak is a bad time to learn that. The shut-off should be marked and the handle should turn freely.

Why do pipes split on the thaw and not during the freeze?

The water is trapped in the frozen section until the ice melts, and the pressure builds behind the ice. The split often opens when the line warms and water begins to move through the damaged section.

A frozen line may show no leak at all while the ice holds, and the homeowner may see nothing until the thaw. Once the water moves again, the split releases the water that was trapped behind the ice, and the flow can be strong enough to soak a room within minutes.

This is why a cold snap followed by a warm day is a common time for calls. The thaw releases the water, and the homeowner hears it running in a wall or sees a stain on the ceiling for the first time.

Who repairs the pipe, and who dries the house?

The repair of the line is done by a licensed plumber. The drying of the wall, the floor and the framing is done by the water-damage company, and the two work in sequence on the same job.

The plumber is the person who should decide how the broken section is replaced, and that work should be done with the water shut off. The water-damage crew can advise on where the line runs, using the moisture readings, but it does not repair the line itself.

Ask the plumber for the permit, the work order and the invoice, and keep them with the water-damage record. The permit questions for a repair are answered by the local building department, which is the office to call if the work involves a new run of pipe.

What should a homeowner do after a burst pipe is dry?

Check the repaired section after several days, watch the floor and the wall at the repair, and keep a note of the temperatures during the next cold snap.

Look at the repaired wall and the floor at the bottom plate for a week or two. A new stain, a soft patch or a musty smell at the repair means moisture remains, and the drying should be checked again.

Note which lines froze during the cold snap. Those are the lines to insulate or heat before the next winter, and the homeowner can use the same list each year.

Options

Types and options for frozen and burst pipe damage

Split supply line in an exterior wall

A common case in older Colorado Springs houses where a supply line runs through a wall that faces the cold. The water runs inside the wall, down to the bottom plate, and then out under the flooring at the base of the wall.

Frozen drain line in an unheated crawl space or garage

A drain line that holds water in an unheated space can freeze and split, and it often releases water only when the line thaws. The water runs into the crawl space or the garage slab, and the cleanup covers the lower space and the framing above it.

Break in an attic or a garage bathroom

A supply line in an uninsulated attic or a bathroom added to a garage can split above a ceiling. The water comes through the ceiling below, and the drying covers the joists and the insulation between them.

El Paso County

Why frozen and burst pipe damage is different in Front Range, Colorado

Colorado Springs has cold nights in winter and warm spells that bring a thaw, and the thaw is when many burst pipes are found. A split that froze and held for days can release its water suddenly once the line warms.

The city's older houses often have supply lines in exterior walls, unheated garages and the cold back corners of a kitchen. Those are the places to check before a cold snap rather than after a leak.

The local building department answers the questions about permits for repairs and about the depth of a new line in the ground. The frost depth for a given property is not set here, so the building department is the office to ask.

One call and it gets handled.

A crew is dispatched as fast as one is available, and you approve the estimate before any work starts.

Call (833) 490-5225Get a quote
Where we work

Frozen and Burst Pipe Damage across El Paso County

Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.

Related

Structural Drying and Dehumidification

Air movement and dehumidification that dry the framing, subfloor, insulation and wall cavities of a Colorado Springs building after water has been removed.

Ceiling and Drywall Water Damage

Cutting out and drying water-stained ceiling board and wall board in Colorado Springs and El Paso County, so the repair can be closed over dry framing.

Emergency Water Extraction

Pumping and vacuuming standing water out of basements, garages and lower floors across Colorado Springs and El Paso County, with the call answered at any hour.

Water Heater Leak Damage

Water released by a leaking or failed water heater in a Colorado Springs home, and the cleanup of the floor, the wall and the storage beneath it.

Guides

Read before you book

FAQ

Frozen and Burst Pipe Damage FAQs

Can I thaw a frozen pipe with a hair dryer?

A warm, dry source can thaw a pipe slowly, but it must never be an open flame or a space heater near the pipe. If the pipe has already split, the water should be stopped and a plumber called before anything is thawed further.

Why is there water in the wall when no tap is open?

Because the supply line is leaking inside the wall. Close the main valve, watch the meter, and call. The water will keep running inside the wall until the flow is stopped.

Does the cleanup include the pipe repair?

No. The water-damage company removes the water and dries the structure. The line is repaired by a plumber, and the two are scheduled around each other.

Will the insurer pay for a frozen pipe?

The policy and the insurer decide. A sudden discharge from a split line is generally treated differently from a slow leak, and many policies have conditions about heating the house. Read the policy before the claim, and ask the insurer to explain its decision in writing.

WhatsApp