January 2026
Frozen Pipes in Utah -- Prevention and What to Do When They Burst
Salt Lake City averages 47 nights below freezing per winter. Ogden and Provo get even more. Every year, thousands of Wasatch Front homeowners deal with frozen or burst pipes. Most of these are preventable. Here's what to do before, during and after a pipe freezes.
Prevention Checklist (Do This Before November)
1. Disconnect all garden hoses
A connected hose traps water in the hose bib. When that water freezes, it expands backward into the supply pipe inside the wall. The pipe bursts inside the wall -- you won't know until spring when you turn the water back on. Takes 30 seconds per hose. Do it in October.
2. Insulate exposed pipes
Foam pipe insulation costs $2-$5 per linear foot at Home Depot or Lowes. Cover every exposed pipe in crawl spaces, garages, basements near exterior walls and unheated utility rooms. For high-risk areas (crawl spaces, exterior walls), add heat tape ($15-$40 per cable) under the insulation for active freeze protection.
3. Install frost-free hose bibs
Frost-free hose bibs ($150-$300 installed) have the shutoff valve 6-12 inches inside the wall where it stays warm. Water drains out of the exposed section when you turn it off. They eliminate the most common freeze point. Every Utah home should have these -- if yours still has standard hose bibs, upgrade before winter.
4. Seal crawl space vents
Open crawl space vents let cold air blow directly onto pipes. Close or cover them from November through March. Foam vent covers ($5-$10 each) from any hardware store snap right over the vent. Reopen in spring for ventilation. This single step prevents more frozen pipes than any other in SLC homes with crawl spaces.
When a Pipe Bursts -- Emergency Steps
Shut off the main water valve. Every minute of delay adds 4-8 gallons of water to your home. Know where your shutoff is before you need it. In most SLC homes: basement near the front wall or in a utility closet.
Open faucets to drain pressure. Even after the main valve is off, water remains in the pipes. Open the lowest faucet in the house to drain the system and reduce pressure on the burst point.
Turn off the water heater. Gas: turn the dial to "pilot." Electric: flip the breaker. An empty water heater running without water can overheat and fail.
Call an emergency plumber. Most SLC plumbers respond within 1-2 hours for burst pipes, 24/7. Typical emergency repair: $400-$800. Expensive but far cheaper than the $10,000-$50,000 in water damage from waiting until morning.
Document everything for insurance. Take photos before cleanup. Homeowner insurance covers burst pipe water damage (it's sudden and accidental). Document the burst location, affected areas and damaged property. Call your insurer the next business day.
Frozen Pipe Questions
At what temperature do pipes freeze in Utah?
Water freezes at 32F but pipes typically don't burst until temperatures drop below 20F for 6+ consecutive hours. The critical factor is duration, not just temperature. A brief dip to 25F overnight with a warm-up to 40F during the day rarely causes problems. But a 48-hour stretch below 15F (like the January 2024 cold snap) is when plumbers across the Wasatch Front get slammed with burst pipe calls. Wind chill doesn't affect pipes directly but cold wind entering crawl spaces through vents does.
Which pipes freeze first?
In order of risk: 1) Hose bibs (outdoor faucets) -- these freeze first every time. Disconnect hoses before November. 2) Pipes in unheated crawl spaces -- SLC homes with crawl spaces are the most vulnerable. 3) Pipes in exterior walls, especially north-facing walls with less sun exposure. 4) Garage water lines (laundry, utility sink). 5) Pipes in unheated basements near exterior walls. Interior pipes in heated living spaces almost never freeze unless the furnace fails.
Can I thaw frozen pipes myself?
If the pipe hasn't burst yet (no water spraying when you open the faucet): yes, carefully. Use a hair dryer, heat lamp or portable space heater pointed at the frozen section. Start from the faucet end and work toward the frozen section so melting water can drain. Never use a torch, propane heater or open flame -- fire risk is real and you can crack the pipe from thermal shock. If you can't locate the frozen section or if the pipe has already burst: shut off the main water valve immediately and call a plumber.
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