Homeowner guideWinter guide
Keeping Pipes From Freezing in Markham
A Markham January can drop well below minus twenty for days. Most frozen pipes are preventable with a little preparation in the fall and a few habits during cold snaps.
Through window view of old wooden house exterior under white sky during snowfall in winter in countryside.
- Short steps a homeowner can follow safely
- What to check before you pick up the phone
- Clear signs it is time to call a plumber
- Markham and York Region notes where they matter
- Licensing details confirmed when you call
- Residential
- Commercial
- Markham & York Region
The short version
- Exterior walls, especially behind kitchen sinks.
- Above or beside garages.
- Crawlspaces and unheated rooms.
- Near rim joists in the basement where cold air leaks in.
- Bay windows and cantilevered floors.
Know your cold spots
Walk through your home and look for pipes in these places:
Before winter
- Disconnect garden hoses and drain outdoor faucets.
- Close the inside shut-off for each hose bib.
- Insulate exposed pipes with foam sleeves.
- Seal gaps around pipes where they pass through walls.
- Insulate rim joists in unfinished basements.
During a cold snap
- Prop open the vanity and sink cupboards that sit against outside walls letting warm room air in around the pipes.
- Keep the thermostat steady, even at night.
- Let a cold tap drip slightly on the coldest nights if that line has frozen before.
- Keep the garage door closed if pipes run through or above it.
If a pipe freezes
- Open the faucet so water can flow once it thaws.
- Warm the pipe with a hair dryer, heat lamp or space heater. Never use an open flame.
- Start near the faucet and work back toward the frozen section.
- If you cannot reach it or it may have split, shut off the main and call a plumber.
From the van: If you leave home for more than a few days in winter, leave the furnace running and ask someone to check in. Consider shutting off the main water valve.
Ending the yearly freeze
A line that ices up every January it is in the wrong place or poorly protected. Rerouting it to an interior wall, adding insulation behind it, or using heat cable can stop the problem for good. We can look at the options with you.
Insurance note
Many policies exclude damage from frozen pipes if the home was left unheated or unattended. Read your policy and follow its guidance for winter absences.