What should I do if the water pipes freeze? A complete guide to preventing and thawing water pipes in winter
As the winter cold wave hits, temperatures plummet in many parts of the country, and frozen water pipes have become a hot topic recently. According to meteorological data, in the past 10 days, night temperatures in many places in the north have fallen below -10°C, and rare low temperatures have also occurred in some areas in the south. The following summarizes the hotly discussed anti-freezing and thawing methods for water pipes across the Internet, and provides structured data reference.
1. Recent hot search data related to water pipe freezing

| Hot search platform | keywords | Search volume (10,000) | Geographical distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baidu Index | "Water Pipe Antifreeze" | 28.5 | Beijing/Hebei/Shandong |
| Weibo topics | # minus 10 degrees water pipe burst # | 120 million reads | Jiangsu/Zhejiang |
| Douyin hot list | "Tricks to Thaw Water Pipes" | 54 million views | Nationwide |
| Zhihu hot questions | "Anti-freezing water pipes in old residential areas" | Number of answers: 387 | Northeastern region |
2. Analysis of common causes of water pipe freezing
| Reason type | Proportion | Typical cases |
|---|---|---|
| No insulation measures were taken | 42% | Exposed balcony water pipes |
| extreme cold weather | 35% | Cold wave hits the south |
| Pipeline aging | 15% | Old houses over 10 years old |
| Abnormal water pressure | 8% | Municipal pipe network fluctuations |
3. 6-step quick thawing plan
1.Confirm frozen location: Touch the pipe with your hand to find the obvious low temperature section
2.Close main valve: Prevent water leakage after thawing
3.Gentle heating: It is recommended to use a hair dryer (keep a distance of 30cm)
4.wrapped towel: Mixed with warm water below 60℃
5.Slowly restore water supply: First turn on the small water flow and observe
6.Comprehensive inspection: Focus on checking whether there is leakage at the interface
4. Comparison of long-term antifreeze measures
| method | cost | effectiveness | Applicable scenarios |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric heating tape | higher | ★★★★★ | Long-term low temperature areas |
| Rubber and plastic insulation pipe | medium | ★★★★ | outdoor pipes |
| dripping antifreeze | free | ★★★ | short term hypothermia |
| Pipe emptying | low | ★★★★ | Long-term vacant houses |
5. Emergency Handling Guidelines
It is recommended to contact a professional immediately when encountering the following situations:
• Pipes exhibit obvious expansion and deformation
• Water leakage continues after thawing
• Water outages for multiple households at the same time
• Involves hazardous areas such as gas pipelines
6. Water pipe antifreeze service hotline in major cities across the country
| city | Water company hotline | emergency response time |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | 96116 | 24 hours |
| Shanghai | 962740 | 30 minutes |
| Guangzhou | 96968 | 1 hour |
| Chengdu | 962965 | 2 hours |
Water pipe protection in winter requires preparation in advance, and it is recommended that protective measures be completed before the temperature drops to 5°C. Save this article for emergencies and forward it to neighbors who need help to jointly cope with the challenges of winter.
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