Why Kentucky is a frozen-pipe state
We don't get Minnesota cold, but we get Minnesota cold for three days after a week of 50s, and homes here aren't built for it. Lines in crawl spaces, garages, exterior walls and unheated basements that are fine all winter freeze in one hard snap.
Where pipes freeze in local homes
Crawl spaces with open vents. Hose bibs that aren't frost-proof or still have a hose attached. Kitchen sinks on exterior walls. Water lines in garage ceilings. Lake and rental homes that sit empty. Older homes in Nicholasville, Harrodsburg and Danville with galvanized pipe are especially vulnerable — galvanized doesn't stretch like PEX.
Before a cold snap
Disconnect hoses and close crawl-space vents. Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls. Let a faucet at the far end of the house drip when it's under 15°F. Know where your main shut-off is and make sure it turns. If a property will be empty, shut the water off and drain the lines, or have us winterize it.
If a pipe freezes
If water stops at one fixture but not others, that line is frozen. Open the faucet, warm the area with a space heater or hair dryer — never a torch — and wait. If you can't find or reach it, or the whole house is frozen, call us.
If a pipe bursts
Shut off the main immediately. Open faucets to relieve pressure. Move what you can out of the water, then call. We prioritize active leaks, and once it's repaired we'll show you what caused it so it doesn't happen again next January.
Written by the team at Good Help Plumbing, Nicholasville, KY. Questions about your own house? Call (859) 671-9213 — no service fee for local estimates.