If a faucet runs slowly or not at all on a cold morning
Find which fixtures are affected
If only one sink or one bathroom has no water, the frozen section is probably in the wall or space serving that fixture.
Locate your main shutoff
Know exactly where it is and that it turns before you start thawing, because a split pipe will leak as soon as the ice melts.
Open the affected faucet
A slightly open faucet lets melting water and pressure escape and tells you when flow returns.
Warm the area gently
Open cabinet doors, warm the room, and apply gentle heat to accessible pipe, starting nearest the faucet and working back.
Watch for leaks as flow returns
Check under the sink, the wall behind it and the room below. A split often shows as water within minutes of thawing.
Call a plumber if you cannot reach it
If the frozen section is inside a closed wall, or you see bulging pipe, let a plumber handle the thaw.
Why some Lakewood houses are more exposed
Ranch homes from the post-war decades often have kitchen and bathroom plumbing on outside walls with modest insulation by current standards. Bathrooms over an attached garage, laundry rooms on a slab at the edge of the house, and hose bibs on the north side are classic trouble spots. In split-levels, the lowest level may have pipes running through a crawlspace with vents to the outside.
Front Range weather adds a twist. A sunny afternoon can be followed by a sharp overnight drop, and arctic air can settle in for several days. Pipes that have been fine for years can freeze during an unusually cold stretch, especially if a window was left cracked, a garage door stayed open or the heat was turned down while the house was empty.
Typical vulnerable spots and simple protection
| Location | Why it freezes | Protection to discuss with a plumber |
|---|---|---|
| Hose bib on a north wall | Cold air reaches the valve and short pipe inside the wall | Disconnect hoses in fall; consider a frost-free sillcock |
| Kitchen sink on an exterior wall | Thin wall insulation behind the cabinet | Open cabinet doors in cold snaps; add insulation if the wall is opened |
| Bathroom over a garage | Garage air is close to outdoor temperature | Keep garage door closed; insulate the garage ceiling |
| Crawlspace supply lines | Vents let in freezing air | Pipe insulation, closing vents in winter where appropriate |
| Evaporative cooler supply tube | Runs through an unheated attic | Drain and shut off before the first hard freeze |
Before you leave the house in winter
- Keep the thermostat at a reasonable setting, not off.
- Disconnect garden hoses and shut interior valves to outdoor faucets.
- Ask a neighbor to check the house during a long absence in a cold stretch.
- Consider shutting off the main and draining lines for long trips.
- Consider a water leak sensor near vulnerable fixtures.
General information for Lakewood, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.