The beauty of a Spokane winter comes with a harsh reality: freezing temperatures that pose a serious threat to your home’s plumbing system. Frozen pipes are more than a nuisance—they can lead to bursts, devastating water damage, and costly emergency repairs. At Shaw Plumbing Heating & Air Conditioning, we specialize in keeping homes across the Spokane Valley safe and warm, which is why we’ve put together this essential guide. Proactively protecting your plumbing now is the smartest way to avoid a mid-winter crisis.

Winterizing Your Home: Essential Steps for Pipe Protection

Taking a few preventative measures before the worst of the cold hits can make all the difference. While our licensed and insured team is available for 24/7 emergencies at (509) 642-6166, we prefer helping our neighbors avoid the need for an urgent service call in the first place!

1. Insulate Exposed Pipes

Any pipes that run through unheated areas of your home—like basements, crawl spaces, attics, or garages—are highly vulnerable to freezing. We recommend wrapping these pipes with foam insulation sleeves (available at any home improvement store). For metal pipes, heat tape can provide an extra layer of defense, but be sure to follow the manufacturer's directions closely for safe installation. Focus especially on pipes near exterior walls.

2. Disconnect Outdoor Hoses and Faucets

This is one of the most common causes of indoor pipe damage. If you leave a garden hose attached to an exterior spigot, water trapped inside can freeze and expand, causing a pressure buildup that travels back into the pipe inside your wall. Disconnect all hoses, drain them completely, and store them away. After that, be sure to turn off the water supply to all exterior faucets using the shut-off valve, then open the spigot outside to fully drain any remaining water.

3. Maintain a Consistent Indoor Temperature

If you plan to travel or be away from your home for an extended period, never set your thermostat below $55^{\circ}\text$. Maintaining a consistent temperature allows warm air to circulate through the walls and near the pipes. When temperatures drop drastically outside, even running your heating system can prevent a catastrophe. This is a small utility cost compared to the price of fixing a flooded basement.

4. Open Cabinet Doors and Let Faucets Drip

For severe cold snaps, provide a path for warm air to reach pipes under sinks and along exterior walls by opening the kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors. This is a key trick for homes in the Spokane area. Additionally, if the temperature is well below freezing, allowing one or two interior cold water faucets to drip slowly can relieve pressure in your pipes. The constant movement of water prevents it from completely freezing, preventing the pressure from building up to a dangerous level that leads to bursting.

What to Do If You Suspect a Frozen Pipe

If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle or no water comes out, you likely have a frozen pipe. The immediate key is to act quickly and carefully. Locate the suspected frozen section, which is often found by a visible frost or bulge. You can try to thaw it using a hairdryer or portable space heater—never use an open flame device like a torch. Apply heat gradually and monitor for any immediate leaks. If the frozen section is inaccessible, or if your attempts to thaw it are unsuccessful, it's time to call the experts.

Frozen pipes are an urgent issue that requires a customer-first approach and rapid response. If a pipe has already burst, turn off the main water supply immediately to minimize water damage, then contact the emergency plumbers trusted across the Spokane Valley. We offer a strong warranty on all our work, ensuring your long-term peace of mind. For fast, reliable plumbing service, call (509) 642-6166 and get your home back to normal.