Plumbing · October 10, 2026
A line froze. Do this before it splits.
A frozen line is a plumbing call. The water is stuck in the supply. If the pipe splits, it comes out of the wall.
Before you call
Find the main shutoff and close it if water is already showing, or if you can hear it running where it should not. Open a cold tap so a thaw has somewhere to go.
Do not put a torch on the pipe. Do not pour boiling water on a fitting you cannot see. Both of those split copper and plastic that was only frozen.
What I look for
The frozen run is usually an outside wall, a crawlspace, or a length that lost its insulation. The visit is the split, if there is one, and cover on the pipe the cold can reach again.
If the house is Vernon, Armstrong, Enderby, or nearby, call (604) 351-9145. Say which room, and whether the water is already out. You get the repair, or a price before a bigger replacement.
Exposed lines in a North Okanagan January fail the same way every year. Covering them after the first scare is cheaper than opening the wall a second time.
More notes
- The fitWhat I do, and what I don'tRichard Pugh on the work he takes in the North Okanagan, the work he does not, and what to say when you call (604) 351-9145.
- GasIf you smell gas, leave firstWhat to do when you smell gas in the North Okanagan, who to call first, and when Richard Pugh does the gas fitting.
