Why do pipes freeze in Marietta if winters are mild?
Because mild winters mean pipes are often left unprotected, and it only takes one hard freeze. Near Christmas 2022, a hard freeze burst thousands of pipes across metro Atlanta.
After that freeze, State Farm said Georgia ranked No. 1 in the nation for its paid frozen pipe claims from August 2022 to August 2023, about $100 million, roughly 12.4 percent of the company's national total for frozen pipes in that period. Pipes in crawl spaces, garages, attics and outside walls are the ones at risk. This checklist is what to do before, during and after the next one. If a pipe has already burst, close the main and call (770) 670-4892, then press 1.
What should I do before winter?
Find your main shutoff and make sure it turns, insulate exposed pipes, disconnect hoses, and know which pipes run through unheated spaces.
- Find the main shutoff. Usually where the water line enters the house, often in the crawl space, basement, garage or a utility closet. Turn it once to make sure it moves. Show everyone in the house where it is.
- Find the meter. There is usually another valve at the meter near the street. Your water utility controls the meter, so call them if your inside valve fails.
- Insulate exposed pipes in the crawl space, attic and garage with foam pipe sleeves from a hardware store.
- Disconnect garden hoses and cover outdoor spigots.
- Check crawl space vents and doors. Make sure the crawl space access door closes and is not broken.
- Know where the water heater is and how to shut its cold supply valve.
What should I do when a hard freeze is in the forecast?
Let a faucet drip on the coldest nights, open sink cabinet doors on outside walls, keep the heat steady day and night, and keep the garage door closed if pipes run through the garage.
The American Red Cross recommends these steps during freezing weather:
- Let cold water drip from faucets served by exposed pipes. Water moving through the pipe, even at a trickle, helps prevent freezing.
- Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors so warmer air can reach the plumbing.
- Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night.
- If you will be away, leave the heat on and set it no lower than 55 degrees.
Heat matters for insurance too. Regulators note that homeowners policies usually cover frozen pipe bursts if the home was heated properly. See does homeowners insurance cover water damage in Georgia?
Pipe already burst? Call (770) 670-4892 and press 1 to reach a local water damage restoration company.
How can I tell if a pipe is frozen?
A faucet that gives only a trickle or nothing at all during a cold snap, while other faucets work, usually means the pipe feeding it is frozen. You may see frost on an exposed pipe.
Leave that faucet open. Gentle heat, like a hair dryer or heating pad, applied starting from the faucet end and working back, is the common advice. Never use a torch or open flame, and keep electrical devices away from any water. If you cannot find the frozen section or cannot reach it safely, call a plumber.
What should I check when it warms up?
Watch and listen. Many frozen pipes do not leak until they thaw. Check the crawl space, attic access, garage and under sinks for water, and look at your water meter for movement when nothing is running.
A ceiling stain that appears the day after a freeze, the sound of running water in a wall, or a wet spot on the floor are all signs of a split pipe. Close the main right away. Then the job is drying: the EPA says water-damaged materials should be dried within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold. Our page on burst and frozen pipe water damage covers the next steps.
What do I do if a pipe bursts?
Close the main shutoff, open the lowest faucet to drain the lines, cut power to wet areas if you can stay dry, photograph everything, call your insurer and get drying started.
If your inside valve will not close, call your water utility. In the City of Marietta that is Marietta Power & Water; for most of unincorporated Cobb, Kennesaw, Acworth and Powder Springs it is the Cobb County Water System; Smyrna runs its own. Their published numbers are in our guide to water damage restoration in Marietta, along with what restoration involves and what it usually costs.
When the water is off, call (770) 670-4892 and press 1 to reach a local water damage restoration company.
Quick answers
What temperature makes pipes freeze in Marietta?
There is no single number; it depends on how long the cold lasts, wind, and how exposed the pipe is. Pay attention whenever a hard freeze is forecast, especially overnight lows well below freezing for more than one night.
Should I shut off my water when I leave town in winter?
Many people do. Closing the main and draining the lines means a frozen pipe has little water in it to leak. Keep the heat on too; the Red Cross says no lower than 55 degrees.
My pipe is frozen but not leaking. What now?
Open the faucet it feeds, apply gentle heat such as a hair dryer or heating pad starting nearest the faucet, and never use an open flame. If you cannot find or reach the frozen section, call a plumber.