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 Freezing water pipe or plumbing drain pipe burst & leak patterns
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How & where to pipes burst when they freeze? This article describes the different ways in which plumbing pipes freeze & burst & about the pipe burst variations by different piping materials. We illustrate several burst pipe patterns for copper water supply piping and include photographs of the different failure modes for plastic pipes & for galvanized iron water pipes. In a second section we illustrate breakage patterns when plastic, galvanized iron, or cast iron drain piping freezes. Our page top photo illustrates that hot water heating pipes in a building can freeze and burst or separate when heat fails or is turned too low.
Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.
Guide to Patterns in Which Water or Drain Pipes Burst or Leak due to Freeze-Ups & Ice Pressure
Freeze or Frost Damaged Copper Piping Break Patterns
Our photo (left) provides a closeup showing one of several patterns in which a copper water pipe will swell and burst due to freezing.
In this common copper pipe freeze and burst pattern pressure from expanding ice in the copper line is localized to a specific point, sometimes further obstructed by a pipe elbow or valve.
Pressure from expanding ice forms a round bulge in the copper that bursts in the pattern shown in our photos. |
Our pipe-freeze damage photo at left illustrates a different way in which water supply piping can burst or leak due to freezing. In this case the force of expanding ice in the water pipe did not cause the copper pipe to swell nor crack.
Rather the ice pressure along the length of the pipe or between the solder joint and a nearby obstruction formed by an elbow or valve caused horizontal movement that separated the sweat fitting, opening the pipe ends. |
The pipe frost damage shown in this photo illustrates another pipe damage pattern: splitting. The pressure of ice expanding in a length of piping can cause the pipe to expand and split along the length of the pipe.
Depending on how pipe was manufactured as well as on the location and distribution of expanding ice in the length of pipe, some pipes may tend to split when freezing while others will bulge and burst and still others may leak by separation at solder joints or connections. |
Galvanized iron water supply pipe can also burst from freezing, and may split at seams depending on how the pipe was manufactured.
Galvanized iron water supply (or drains) are more likely to burst by splitting or fracturing if pipe sections are corroded from an external cause such as corrosive water or by contact with materials or surfaces that increase the pipe corrosion rate.
Our photo (left) illustrates a galvanized iron pipe failure (and replacement) at a spa in Lourdes, Mexico. |
Drain Pipe Freeze & Burst Patterns by Drain Pipe Material
Cast iron drain piping freeze damage
Cast iron drain pipes damaged by freezing often fracture as our PVC example or pipes may split at cast-joints.
The cast iron drain in our photo was located beneath a basement floor - and failed by cracking as shown in the image. |
Plastic ABS & PVC drain pipe freeze or frost damage
The photo at left shows remains of a PVC drain line that froze and burst in an un-heated crawl space.
This burst pattern is most typical of above-ground and some below-ground PVC drain pipe freeze burst damage - the material fractures.
ABS plastic piping also fails by cracking, discussed as a product failure independent of freezing, at PLASTIC PIPING
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The most common cause of drain line freeze-bursting is the combination of
- A blocked plumbing drain line - the line sits full of wastewater
- The drain line is exposed to freezing - because drain lines are not normally expected to be filled with water, drains are not always protected from freezing at all locations in the piping runs.
- A third cause of frozen and burst drain piping is important but less obvious: a dripping faucet or a toilet that runs can send a slow trickle of water down a drain line leading to freezing or even a burst drain pipe in an un-heated crawl space, basement, or outdoors where a building drain may be above the frost line.
The cast iron drain (now removed at this location) split along a seam when it froze; often cast iron piping will break into fragments if the piping is filled with water and is frozen solid.
Frozen drain piping prevention, burst building drains: how to prevent freezing drain piping, watching for leaks and slow drips into drain systems are discussed at Drain Pipe Protection.
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Galvanized Iron drain pipe freeze damage
Galvanized iron pipe can also burst from freezing, and may split at seams depending on how the pipe was manufactured. |
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Technical Reviewers & References
Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
- "New Electric Heat Tapes Help Prevent Fires," US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) #00936
- Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. Mr. Cramer serves on the ASHI Home Inspection Standards. Contact Mark Cramer at: 727-595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com
- John Cranor is an ASHI member and a home inspector (The House Whisperer) is located in Glen Allen, VA 23060. He is also a contributor to InspectApedia.com in several technical areas such as plumbing and appliances (dryer vents). Contact Mr. Cranor at 804-747-7747 or by Email: johncranor@verizon.net
 Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. The firm provides professional home inspection services & home inspection education & publications. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The Home Reference Book & illustrations from The Illustrated Home. Carson Dunlop Associates' provides:
- Commercial Building Inspection Courses - protocol ASTM Standard E 2018-08 for Property Condition Assessments
- Home Inspection Education Courses including home study & live classes at eleven colleges & universities.
- Home Inspection Education Home Study Courses - ASHI@Home Training 10-course program.
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on these courses: Enter INSPECTAHITP in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
- The Home Reference Book, a reference & inspection report product for building owners & inspectors.
Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
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Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter inspectaehrb in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Illustrated Home illustrates construction details and building components, a reference for owners & inspectors.
Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Illustrated Home purchased as a single order Enter INSPECTAILL in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
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- "Freezeproof Your House," Mike McClintock, Rodale's New Shelter, p. 30, October 1985 (approximate date)
- "How to Winterize Your Pipes," Mike McClintock, Homeowners How-To Magazine, p. 59-62, Nov-Dec 1979.
- "HUD Regulation for Manufactured Homes; Requirement that Heat-Tape not include a GFCI [ copy on file as /plumbing/GFCI_Heat_Tapes_HUD_CPSC_Letter1994.pdf ] - ", Meeting Log, US CPSC, HUD, Dennis McCoskrie, ESEE, 2/14/1994
- "Houses in Hibernation," Steve Bailey, New York Times, 24 October 2008 p. D2.
- Thanks to reader Ryan T. Duffy for discussing the suggestion for GFCI's on heat tape circuits to reduce fire risk, October 2010.
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
 The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
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