Frozen water expands which can threaten the integrity of the pipes
, fixtures, and faucets of your plumbing. The amount of pressure from freezing water is more than enough to rupture them. The best remedy for this predicament is to not have it happen in the first place, but unfortunately that is not always possible. Often with extremely low temperatures the power can go out and leave the house susceptible to cold. Sometimes one is caught off guard by sudden cold snaps. Perhaps even the preventative steps failed to adequately protect against subzero weather. When faced with a possible rupture it is important to have a plan to un-freeze your plumbing.
The simplest and most disruptive steps should always be undertaken first and with a little luck they will easily solve the problem.
Before attempting any sort of de-icing method to the piping it is important to open the faucet or fixture attached to it in order to allow accumulating steam to escape as well as to allow the water to begin flowing once it thaws.
With this in mind here are some techniques to warm your pipes.
The easiest approach if you have some water flow is to wrap the effected area with cloths or towels and pour warm or boiling water over it. This may have to be repeated several times to get the desired result but is worth the effort to reduce wear and tear on the pipes.
Another easy and practical method for thawing frozen pipes is to apply a heat lamp or blow drier to them. If using a heat lamp or heat gun it is important to try and protect the areas around wear the work is being done. This is of particular concern if attempting to unfreeze any plumbing made of plastic. It is possible to scorch or melt plastics with these tools so be sure to not overheat any one spot. Although these materials are made for moderate heat it is important not to overheat. Moving slowly from one end to the other the section will ensure minimal damage is done.
If done right and effectively water will begin trickling out of the faucet soon enough. When this happens let it run for several minutes to be sure it is fully cleared out. Once flow has returned to normal turn it off and check the length of it for leaks. With any luck you will have remedied the problem on your own with no damage to the house.