A frozen pipe does not always leak while it is still frozen. Ice can hold back the water until the pipe begins to thaw. The first warning may be a stain, dripping behind a cabinet, water on the basement floor, or the sound of water moving when every fixture is off.
If a pipe has split, the priority is to stop the water and limit damage. Finding the exact crack can wait until the supply is under control.
If water is leaking, shut it off
Use the home's main water shutoff if water is escaping from a pipe or fitting. The valve is usually near the water meter or where the water service enters the basement. Turn it carefully. Do not force a seized, corroded, or damaged valve.
Once the water is off:
- Open a nearby faucet to relieve pressure in the plumbing
- Move belongings away from the leak if you can do so safely
- Use containers or towels to control a small amount of water
- Keep clear if water has reached electrical equipment, outlets, or appliances
- Call a plumber to isolate and repair the damaged section
People living in an apartment or condominium should contact the building manager because the shutoff may serve more than one unit.
EPCOR distinguishes the home's main shutoff from the curb stop at the property line. Homeowners can normally operate the main shutoff. EPCOR operates the curb stop when water must be stopped outside the home. Their guide explains who is responsible for each water shutoff valve.
No water does not always mean a burst pipe
A faucet that produces no water or only a trickle may point to a frozen line, but it can also be caused by a closed valve, a neighbourhood outage, or a water-main break.
Check the scope of the problem before assuming the pipe has burst:
- Test the cold water at several faucets.
- Test the hot water separately.
- Flush each toilet once to see whether its tank refills.
- Ask a nearby neighbour whether their water pressure has changed.
- Check EPCOR's current water outage and impact information.
If neighbours also have no water, or EPCOR lists an outage in the area, the problem may be outside your private plumbing. EPCOR asks Edmonton customers to report unlisted water outages through its 24-hour emergency line at 780-412-4500.
If the problem affects one fixture or one part of the home, the cause is more likely inside the property. Frost on an exposed pipe, a cold draft near the water-service entry, or a sudden loss of flow during severe cold makes a frozen section more likely.
Do not use an open flame
Never use a torch, lighter, candle, or other open flame to thaw a pipe. Edmonton Fire Rescue warns that a pipe can conduct heat into a wall and ignite concealed building materials.
EPCOR allows gentle heat on a narrow, accessible pipe when there is enough clearance and ventilation. That does not make every frozen line a safe do-it-yourself job. Stop and call a plumber when the pipe is inside a wall, close to electrical equipment, visibly split, difficult to reach, or still frozen after a cautious attempt.
Read our Edmonton frozen-pipe prevention guide for the fall steps that reduce the chance of another freeze.
Watch for damage as the pipe thaws
A frozen section may look intact until water begins moving again. After flow returns, inspect the accessible pipe, nearby fittings, cabinet bases, ceilings, and walls. Watch for dripping, damp insulation, staining, bulging finishes, or a water meter that continues moving while fixtures are off.
Do not restore full water pressure to a visibly damaged line. A small crack can release a large amount of water once the ice no longer blocks it.
Who should you call in Edmonton?
Call EPCOR when the outage affects the neighbourhood, the problem appears to involve the utility side of the service, or you need the curb stop operated. Call a plumber when the frozen or damaged plumbing is inside the home or on the homeowner's side of the property line.
Squad V Plumbing provides residential plumbing repair in Edmonton, including leaking pipes, damaged fittings, and main-shutoff problems. A plumber can repair the failed section and check what exposed it to freezing so the same spot is less likely to fail again.
If a winter leak is active, call Squad V Plumbing Inc. at (780)-667-7169 or request plumbing service.
