Frozen & Burst Pipe Repair
A pipe doesn't burst where it freezes. It bursts where the pressure between the ice and the closed tap has nowhere to go.
Chicago gets stretches where the temperature stays below freezing for days, and that's when the calls start. The vulnerable spots are consistent: pipes in exterior walls, unheated crawl spaces and garages, along rim joists, and hose bibs that weren't shut off and drained in the fall.
If you've lost water to one fixture in a cold snap but nothing has burst yet, that's the good version of this problem and worth acting on immediately — a frozen pipe that's thawed carefully often survives intact. If it's already split, the priority is shutting off water and limiting damage, which is why the first thing we'll ask on the phone is whether you know where your main shutoff is.
Please don't use an open flame to thaw a pipe. It's the single most common way a frozen pipe call becomes a fire department call. Gentle, gradual heat applied along the pipe is the approach — and if you can't reach the frozen section safely, that's exactly what we're for.
When this is likely your problem
What's included — and what isn't
Included in the quote
- Locating the frozen or failed section
- Safe, controlled thawing where the pipe hasn't burst
- Repair or replacement of split pipe sections
- Pressure test of the repaired line
- Insulation of the vulnerable run to reduce recurrence
- Shutoff valve replacement where an existing valve won't close
Quoted separately
- Drywall, plaster, and finish restoration after access
- Water damage restoration and drying, which is a separate trade
- Heat tape and its electrical supply, which needs an electrician
- Insulation of the building envelope, as opposed to the pipe itself
- Repairs to a line that's frozen in an inaccessible location without opening finishes
- Emergency after-hours premium, quoted before dispatch
What drives the price
We quote after diagnosis, not before. These are the factors that move the number most on this particular service:
- STATEFrozen but intact is a much smaller job than already burst.
- ACCESSWhether the pipe is exposed or behind finished wall, ceiling, or floor.
- EXTENTOne split section versus multiple failures along a run.
- TIMINGAfter-hours and weekend calls during a cold snap carry a dispatch premium.
- PREVENTIONAdding insulation or relocating the vulnerable run so it doesn't recur.
Chicago note
The prevention that actually works in this climate is unglamorous: shut off and drain exterior hose bibs before the first hard freeze, keep the heat on in unused rooms, open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls during deep cold, and know where your main shutoff is before you need it. That last one has saved more Chicago basements than any product we could sell you.
Related services
What the visit involves
Shut the water off
If you can reach the main safely, do it before we arrive. It limits everything that follows.
Locate the failure
Frozen section, split, or both. Where it is decides how much has to be opened.
Thaw or repair
Controlled thawing where the pipe survived, replacement of the section where it didn't.
Reduce the recurrence
Insulation, and an honest conversation about whether the run should be relocated.
Questions about frozen & burst pipe repair
What should I do right now if a pipe just burst?
Shut off the water at the main if you can reach it safely, then open a low faucet to drain the pressure out of the system. Move anything valuable away from the water. If water is near electrical panels or outlets, stay clear of it. Then call — with the water off, you've already prevented most of the damage that would otherwise accumulate while you wait.
Can I thaw a frozen pipe myself?
Gentle, gradual heat along the pipe — a hair dryer or a space heater at a safe distance — can work if the pipe is accessible and hasn't split. Never use a torch or any open flame; that's how frozen pipe calls turn into fires. If the pipe is inside a wall or you can't reach it safely, don't improvise.
How do I stop this happening again?
The reliable measures are shutting off and draining hose bibs before winter, insulating pipes in unheated spaces and along exterior walls, keeping heat on in unused rooms, and letting a trickle run during extreme cold on a run that's frozen before. If a pipe has frozen twice, relocating that run is often worth more than any amount of insulation.
My water came back on its own. Do I still need someone to look?
It's worth a check. A pipe that froze and thawed can have a hairline split that only leaks under full pressure, sometimes hidden inside a wall. If the freeze was severe or it's happened before, a pressure test is cheap insurance against finding out in a less convenient way.
Do you charge more for emergency calls?
After-hours and weekend dispatch during a freeze carries a premium, and we tell you the amount before we come out rather than after. During a serious cold snap our schedule fills fast, so calling early in the event matters more than it usually would.
Ready to get this looked at?
Call and describe what's happening. You'll get an honest read on urgency and cost before anyone comes out.