Frozen pipe repair: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering frozen pipe repair

Frozen pipe calls are urgent and often come with hidden damage, since a split pipe can leak for hours after the thaw. Find the split, repair it, and fix the cold spot so the pipe does not freeze the same way again.

What customers ask

  • Is the pipe split, or just frozen?
  • Can you thaw it without a torch?
  • How do I keep this from happening again?
  • Is my wall damaged from the leak?
  • Will my insurance cover this?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask the location of the frozen fixture, the pipe material if known, whether water is running at any fixture, and whether there is water on the floor or ceiling.
  • Bring heat wraps, a thermometer, a pressure test gauge, pipe and fittings in common sizes, insulation sleeves, heat tape and a pipe cutter to the first visit.
  • Shut the water off at the main if there is a split and water is coming out, and tell the customer what you did.
  • Thaw the pipe slowly from the open end, and check the whole run for splits before you close anything.
  • Quote the thaw, the repair, the pressure test, the insulation and any wall work as separate lines.
  • Document the cause and the repair in writing with photos, which the customer can give an insurer.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of a frozen pipe repair with the split and the new section visible
  • List the pipe materials you repair after freeze damage
  • Note the insulation, heat tape and rerouting work you do to prevent freezing
  • Show a before and after of a cold-area line rerouted and insulated

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a freeze check of the other exposed lines before the next cold season
  • Recommend a heat tape check each year, since it can fail without showing a sign
  • Suggest a check of the house's weak spots, such as the exterior wall, the attic and the crawlspace

Licenses and permits

Frozen pipe repair on supply lines is commonly licensed plumbing work, and some areas require a permit for a repair that opens a wall. Confirm the requirements with your state or local licensing agency before taking the work.

Questions

What do I say when the customer wants the pipe thawed with a torch to save time?

Refuse the torch. Explain the fire risk to the framing and the pipe, and thaw slowly with a safe method. Quote the time honestly.

How do I handle a split pipe found after the thaw?

Shut the water off, show the split, and explain the repair. Quote the repair and the pressure test, and do not close the wall until the test passes.

What should I tell a customer who wants the line left in the cold area?

Show the cold area and the freeze risk. Offer insulation, heat tape or a reroute, and put the choice in writing with the risk stated.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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