Pipes in New Jersey homes start freezing when the outside temperature stays under about 20°F for several hours, and the pipes that fail first are the ones in outside walls, crawl spaces, garages and unheated basements. Call (201) 676-3099 or book a free estimate.
Pipes in New Jersey homes start freezing when the outside temperature stays under about 20°F for several hours, and the pipes that fail first are the ones in outside walls, crawl spaces, garages and unheated basements. To prevent it: keep the heat at 55°F or higher, open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls, let a cold faucet drip on the coldest nights, and shut off and drain outdoor spigots before December.
If a pipe is already frozen, here is how to thaw it without turning a frozen pipe into a burst one.
How to tell a pipe is frozen
- You turn on a faucet and get a trickle or nothing, while other faucets work.
- There is frost on a visible pipe, or a section feels much colder than the rest.
- The toilet does not refill.
- It is below 20°F outside and the problem is on an outside wall, in the garage, or near the crawl space.
Thaw it safely
Open the faucet the frozen pipe feeds, both hot and cold. As the ice melts, water and steam need somewhere to go. Running water also helps melt the ice.
Start at the faucet end and work toward the frozen spot. Use a hair dryer, a heating pad wrapped around the pipe, towels soaked in hot water, or a space heater in the room. Warm the whole area, not one spot.
No torches, no open flames, no heat guns on high. They crack pipes, melt solder and start house fires every winter.
Then check every joint along that run for drips. A pipe that froze may have split, and the leak only shows once the ice is gone.
Shut off the main water valve and call. We use pipe-thawing equipment and a thermal camera to find it without opening the wall blind.
If it already burst
Shut off the main water valve first, then the breaker to any electrical near the water. Open faucets to drain the lines. Move what you can, then take photos for insurance before you clean up. Read our burst pipe guide for the full list.
A burst pipe repair in New Jersey typically runs $250 to $1,800 depending on where it is and how much wall has to be opened. The water damage is usually the bigger bill, which is why the main valve matters more than anything else.
Prevent it: the December checklist
- Disconnect garden hoses, shut off the inside valve to each outdoor spigot, and open the spigot outside to drain it. Frost-free spigots still need the hose off.
- Insulate exposed pipes in the basement, crawl space and garage with foam sleeves. It costs $2 a foot and takes an afternoon.
- Seal the gaps where pipes enter the house and where cold air pours in near the sill. A can of spray foam does more than a space heater.
- Keep the thermostat at 55°F or higher, even when you travel. Open the cabinet doors under kitchen and bathroom sinks on outside walls.
- On nights under 15°F, let the faucet farthest from the main drip a pencil-thin stream. Moving water freezes much slower.
- If you leave for the winter, have the house winterized: water off, lines drained and blown out, antifreeze in traps. We do this for shore houses every fall.
- Add a smart water shutoff valve with a leak sensor. It closes the main automatically when it senses a leak, even when nobody is home.
Why this keeps happening in the same spot
A pipe that freezes every winter is in the wrong place or has a cold-air leak next to it. The permanent fix is to reroute that section into a heated wall or add heat tape and insulation, which usually costs $350 to $1,200 and ends the yearly panic. We can find the exact spot with a thermal camera in about ten minutes.
What it costs in New Jersey (2026)
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Professional pipe thawing, accessible pipe | $250 – $450 |
| Thaw plus find and repair a split, in a wall | $500 – $1,800 |
| Burst pipe repair (pipe only) | $250 – $1,800 |
| Reroute a pipe that freezes every year | $350 – $1,200 |
| Heat tape plus insulation on an exposed run | $200 – $600 |
| Whole-house winterization (shore or vacant home) | $250 – $600 |
| Smart automatic water shutoff valve, installed | $800 – $1,800 |
Questions people ask next
At what temperature do pipes freeze in New Jersey?
Water in an unprotected pipe can freeze once the outside temperature stays around 20°F for a few hours. Pipes in heated interior walls are safe far below that; pipes in outside walls, garages and crawl spaces are the ones that fail.
Should I leave faucets dripping?
On the coldest nights, yes, especially the faucet farthest from where water enters the house. A pencil-thin stream is enough. It costs pennies and keeps water moving.
How long does it take for a frozen pipe to thaw?
With a hair dryer or heating pad, 30 to 60 minutes for a short section. A pipe inside a wall can take hours or need professional equipment. Never wait for the weather to do it; the pipe can split in the meantime.
Does a frozen pipe always burst?
No. Many thaw without damage. The burst happens when ice blocks the pipe and pressure builds between the ice and the closed faucet, which is why opening the faucet matters so much.
Can I thaw a pipe with a torch?
No. Open flames crack pipes, melt joints and start fires inside walls. Use a hair dryer, warm towels or a space heater, or call for pipe-thawing equipment.
Need frozen pipe repair near you?
If you searched “frozen pipe repair near me” anywhere in New Jersey, that's us. First Call Contracting is based in Paramus and sends its own licensed crew to all 21 counties — written price before work starts, no deposit, a real person on the phone 24/7.
Frozen or burst right now?
Shut the main valve, then call. A real person answers 24/7 and a crew is dispatched to the nearest truck, with the price before we start.
Or call Alex direct: (201) 676-3099