Change Location
Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Ottawa
Locally Owned and Operated
Call phone number(613) 746-0000
24/7 Emergency Services
Although Ottawa enjoys a semi-continental and moderate climate with a warm, humid summer and frigid winter, it’s still considered one of the coldest capitals in the world and it can be severe and incredibly cold with at least a third of the year powdered in snow.
Though our southern neighbors seem to think the entirety of Canada is just an extension of the North Pole, we know better. There’s no need to hibernate when old man winter visits this time, so long as you are prepared and have the necessary amenities in place for the winterization of your home, including Ottawa frozen pipe repair.
If you’ve turned on your faucet or shower lately only to see absolutely nothing flowing out, it may be likely your home’s pipes have frosted over. But don’t fret! Your qualified, licensed, and fully insured Ottawa plumber from Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Ottawa knows just the quick fix you need to jolt your home’s plumbing system.
Don’t delay a frozen pipe repair as it only leads to a domino effect of further problems. Apart from impacting your home’s pipework, it also affects the structural integrity of your home, including wreaking havoc on your home’s foundation or creating cracks that can result in pipe leakages, and eventually, you’ll have to face the aftermath of water damage from a flood. It’s best to be proactive about frozen drainage pipes before Jack Frost makes a visit. Let our professional plumbers provide you with a consultation appointment and get cracking on that frozen pipe repair.
Most people have at least a basic understanding of the phases of matter, including how solids freeze over. Why do your home’s pipes freeze over, and why is it so serious when they do?
When the temperature drops, water begins to rapidly freeze inside pipes, which causes increased pressure and stress from the expanding ice. And thus, water cannot channel through and the pipe can crack, swell or burst and result in a flood causing thousands of dollars in damage.
The most obvious sign of freezing is a sudden change in fluctuating water pressure during the first couple of heavy snowfalls. If you completely ignore these subtle and early signs and fail to repair and insulate your pipes, eventually your freshwater line and sewer line will also readily ice over resulting in a further conundrum of costly repairs.
Before you are graced with the bitter cold of winter’s wonderland we always recommend being proactive and advocating for preventative maintenance and signing up for an annual inspection. Without examining all areas of your home you risk being exposed to damage from freezing as water continues to expand and pressurize.
Aside from your drain lines, there are many exterior and interior areas of your home that must be winterized. For example, an outdoor faucet or spigot, pipes in unheated garages, pipes running in or near exterior walls, and any other internal or external plumbing that could be exposed to falling temperatures.
Most plumbing emergencies show up at the most unexpected moments and what with our on-the-go lifestyle we may not notice the early warning signs. If there happens to be a cold snap in Ottawa and you find that you’ve got no water—or a major leak—the last thing you want to do is go down the rabbit hole of finding a trustworthy plumbing contractor who deals with frozen pipes.
Fortunately, our experienced team members from Mr. Rooter Plumbing are well-equipped across the divide of plumbing repairs, installations, and maintenance and can provide you with emergency services to stop leaks and fix frozen pipes before they get worse.
If you have the unfortunate circumstance of your pipes reaching their peak and actually bursting open you still are not past the point of no return as our expert technicians have some tricks up their sleeve to restore your pipes to pristine condition. Best of all we utilize advanced non-invasive and trenchless methods which won’t require digging a gashing trench in the middle of your yard in the dead of winter.
For exposed pipes inside your home, the most likely solution will be replacing the damaged section of piping. While it may be possible to patch it temporarily while you wait for repairs, the most effective long-term solution, and the only one guaranteed not to fail eventually, is to replace the damaged section with new piping.
For less accessible pipes, such as your water main or sewer main, there are two advanced techniques we utilize to complete minimally invasive repairs: pipe lining and pipe bursting.
If there is only minor damage we will perform a pipe relining by inserting a flexible tube inside of the pipe and aligning it against the interior walls. The tube contains a sac which we’ll inflate and press against the old pipe. Once the sac hardens in place and cures within a few hours in its place will be a brand new pipe interior that is durable and resilient to any tree roots.
If your pipes are heavily damaged with ice we may need to replace the entire length of the pipe by threading in a new pipe in place of the old one using hydraulic bursting. Our skilled technician will knock off sections of the old and damaged pipe by bursting and make room for the new one. It’s not as complicated as it seems as it is completed within one business day so there’s no need to stay at a hotel or family or friend’s house while we complete repairs.
To reiterate, it's best advised not to wait until Springtime for your frozen pipes to thaw out, as it can lead to further and more disastrous problems. After conducting a thorough inspection of your home’s plumbing system, our professional plumbers will provide you with an official list of recommendations on how you can winterize your home, including how to properly insulate your pipes with heating wraps. As always, we will always provide you with an exceptional Mr. Rooter Plumbing experience, including excellent workmanship and genuine client care for all Ottawa frozen pipe repairs.
Once you’ve reached below-freezing temperatures at around -15°C or below it takes on average 4 to 5 hours for pipes to completely freeze out, at which point the risk for cracks and bursts increases dramatically.
Yes, technically pipes do thaw out on their own nature but this takes quite a while, and sometimes the freezing can worsen so we wouldn’t risk it as the pipe can eventually burst and cause major flooding damage. It’s best to contact a plumber as soon as your notice frozen pipes so that they can assess your risk for damage or complications and provide any needed repairs.
Water can freeze in your home’s pipes due to something as simple as inadequate insulation or a faulty thermostat. But you’re ill-advised to wait until your pipe reaches its climax and bursts. We might live in the Great White North but don’t let that stop you from keeping your property safe and secure with professional Ottawa frozen pipe repairs.
Whether you’re in Ottawa or nearby areas like Gatineau, Nepean, or Kanata, we can trek out and scorch away your popsicle pipes. Reach out to us and our courteous customer service representatives can book a no-obligation consultation appointment and are on standby to answer your questions or concerns.
Click to call
Please select your preferred date and time or choose to get a call back. 