Upstate winters are mild enough that freeze protection is easy to put off, and cold enough that skipping it eventually costs someone a burst pipe. We see the same pattern every year: a hard freeze arrives after a stretch of comfortable weather, and the calls come in the following morning. The preparation takes an afternoon in the fall. The repair does not.
Why Pipes Burst
Water expands as it freezes. When ice forms in a pipe, it also blocks it, and continued freezing builds enormous pressure between the ice plug and the closed faucet downstream. That trapped pressure is what splits the pipe — which is why the break is often not at the frozen spot itself.
The damage usually shows up later, when the ice thaws and water pours through the split. A pipe that froze overnight in a crawlspace can flood the house the next afternoon while everyone is at work.
Where Upstate Homes Are Vulnerable
Southern homes are simply not built with the freeze protection standard in colder states. The exposed spots to check:
- Crawlspaces. The single most common freeze location in Upstate homes. Open vents let cold air move directly across uninsulated supply lines.
- Outdoor spigots and hose bibs. Especially with a hose still attached — the hose traps water against the valve and holds it there to freeze.
- Unheated garages, attics and utility rooms, including a water heater or well pressure tank sitting in one.
- Pipes on exterior walls, particularly under a kitchen or bathroom sink on the north side of the house.
- Well houses and exposed well equipment. A frozen pressure tank or exposed line takes the whole water supply out.
- Irrigation and pool lines, which are easy to forget until spring reveals the damage.
Do This in the Fall
- Disconnect every garden hose and drain it. This one step prevents a large share of the burst spigots we repair.
- Shut off and drain outdoor spigot supply lines where your home has interior shutoffs for them. Consider frost-proof hose bibs as a permanent fix.
- Insulate exposed pipe in the crawlspace, garage and attic. Foam sleeves are inexpensive and take one afternoon.
- Close crawlspace vents before the first hard freeze, and check that the access door actually shuts.
- Protect the well equipment. Insulate the well house and any exposed lines and tanks.
- Find your main shutoff and test it. In an active burst, closing that valve fast is what limits the damage. Everyone in the house should know where it is.
- Seal drafts where cold air reaches pipes — foundation vents, dryer vents, gaps around the sill.
When a Hard Freeze Is Forecast
Let a cold-water tap furthest from the meter drip overnight — moving water is much harder to freeze, and the open faucet relieves the pressure that actually bursts pipes. Open the cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so household heat reaches the pipes. Keep the thermostat at a consistent temperature rather than dropping it at night, and if you are traveling, do not set it below the mid-50s.
If a Pipe Freezes Anyway
Open the affected faucet so melting water has somewhere to go, and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or space heater, working from the faucet back toward the frozen section. Never use an open flame — it is a fire risk and can damage the pipe. If you cannot locate the freeze, or you see any bulge or split, shut off the main and call us.
Leaving Town for the Winter
For a house sitting empty through the cold months, shut off the main supply and drain the lines, and have someone check the property periodically. An unattended burst has weeks to do damage before anyone notices.
Freeze Damage and Emergency Repair in the Upstate
WC Plumbing & Water Treatment handles frozen and burst pipe repair, leak repair and freeze-proofing for homes in Anderson, Greenville, Pickens, Piedmont and across the Upstate. South Carolina License CLM-114719MC. Call (864) 214-3250 or schedule a winter check.
