Winter Pipe Freeze Prep for Vancouver Homes

Before the first frost

Outside taps and hoses come first.

Outside taps are the pipes most likely to freeze. Do these in the fall, before the first frost warning.

Unhook every garden hose. A hose left on can trap water in the tap, even a frost-free one.If the tap has a shutoff valve inside the house, close it, then open the outside tap to let it drain.Have irrigation systems shut down and blown out before freezing weather.Cover outside taps with an insulated cover if you have one.

Find the pipes that sit in the cold.

Pipes freeze where cold air reaches them. Look for these spots and add pipe insulation where you can reach safely.

Garages, crawlspaces and unheated roomsWater lines that run through an unheated garage, crawlspace, storage room or attic are the usual trouble spots.

Outside walls and under sinksKitchen and bathroom pipes on an outside wall can freeze when the cabinet stays closed. Open the doors during a cold snap so warm air gets in.

Parkades and mechanical roomsIn strata and commercial buildings, water lines in parkades, near overhead doors and in rooms with broken heaters or open vents are at risk.

During a cold snap

Keep the heat on, including in rooms you don't use. Don't turn it right down at night or while you're away.

Let a cold tap drip on a pipe you know is at risk. Moving water is much harder to freeze.

Close garage doors, crawlspace vents you're allowed to close, and windows near pipes.

If you leave for more than a day or two, keep the heat on and ask someone to check the home. For a longer trip, think about shutting off the main water valve.

Know where your main shutoff is.

If a pipe does burst, shutting off the water quickly is what limits the damage. Find the main water valve now, check that it turns, and show everyone in the home where it is.

In a house it is often where the water line comes in, at the front of the house or in the garage. In a townhouse or condo, ask your strata or property manager where your unit's shutoff is.

Common questions

Do I need to drip every tap?

No. Only the taps on pipes you know are at risk, like a kitchen sink on an outside wall. A thin, steady drip is enough.

Can you insulate pipes or move a pipe out of the cold?

Yes. If a pipe keeps freezing, we can insulate it, add an inside shutoff for an outside tap, or reroute the pipe to a warmer spot. Request planned service and tell us where the pipe is.

What should strata councils do before winter?

Walk the parkade, mechanical rooms and any unheated areas, check that heaters work, and make sure the caretaker knows where the main shutoffs are. Fire sprinkler systems are looked after by your fire protection contractor.

Water is spraying or the ceiling is wet?

Shut off the main water valve if you can do it safely, then call. A real person answers 24/7.

Want a pipe insulated or moved?

Tell us where the pipe is, what it serves, and whether it has frozen before. Photos help.

Get your pipes ready before a cold snap.