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With a cold spell hitting millions of homes across the country, there's a high chance that your pipes are at risk of freezing. And while there are a number of tricks to prevent this from happening (including dripping your faucets), you may be wondering what to do if it's too late, and your pipes are already frozen.
The temptation may be to wait for the weather to warm up, at which point your pipes will slowly begin to defrost. But if the weather gets colder before it gets water, this could run the risk of bursting your pipes, which is potentially costly to repair.
Things to know
Before you try this trick, you should check your pipes thoroughly for cracks or bulging. This is a sign that your pipes have already sustained damage, and if you intervene, you could only make things worse.
If you do see signs of damage, contact a professional for further guidance.
How the hairdryer hack works
The trick is to be patient with this technique. Use too much heat, and you could damage your pipes. According to Wessex Water, you may need to set aside up to an hour to see the results.
1. Identify your pipes
It's one thing to notice that there's a blockage in your pipes, but another thing altogether to identify where this is. Hopefully, it'll be somewhere accessible, which makes this hack a lot easier to follow.
Common places worth checking include outhouses like garages and solariums, which typically remain cooler during the winter months.
2. Turn your water off and your taps on
It's best to turn off your water supply for the hour or so that this task requires. This prevents pressure from building from additional water sources while you work on removing the existing blockage.
Leave a slow trickle of water running from the faucets connected to the impacted waterways. This will help in releasing any thawed water, preventing pressure from building inside the pipes themselves.
And once your pipes are defrosted, it's a good idea to continue to leave your taps dripping. This will ensure that water is still able to move, as it's more likely to freeze if left inside the pipes for long periods.
3. Wrap your pipes in a towel
Pipes may have frozen condensation on the outside, as well as frozen water inside. So it's best to prepare some towels for this task, not only to begin the warming process but to absorb any water spills.
Because towels will act as insulation, wrapping them around your pipes will act to prevent external cold from doing any further damage.
4. Use your hair dryer
Leaving the towels in place, you can now use your hair dryer to gently apply heat to your pipes, without being overwhelming.
Your hair dryer may have different heat settings available, in which case we recommend going for a low to medium setting. Anything too high may cause damage.
Move your hair dryer around the impacted area to ensure it defrosts evenly.
5. Double check for damage
The process could take as long as an hour to work. Once you think it's complete, we recommend fully checking your pipes to ensure they're intact.
Once you're satisfied, turn on your water supply and resume dripping water from your pipes to prevent any future freezing.
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