Seattle doesn’t freeze often, which is exactly why burst pipes catch so many homeowners off guard. Unprotected pipes are generally at risk once the outdoor temperature drops to about 20°F, and the Seattle area reaches that in most serious cold snaps. When a pipe bursts, the first hour decides how big the damage gets: shut off the water, protect yourself from electrical hazards, and get the water out and the structure drying. This guide covers how to prevent frozen pipes in a Seattle-area home, how to thaw one safely, and exactly what to do if a pipe bursts.
Pipe already burst? Shut off your main water valve now, then call 911 Restoration of Seattle at (206) 203-6155. We answer 24/7, with an average response time of 45 minutes.
Why pipes freeze in a mild climate like Seattle’s
Homes here are built for rain, not deep cold. Water lines often run through vented crawl spaces, unheated garages, exterior walls and attics, and outdoor hose bibs are left connected all year. That works for most of the winter, until an Arctic air mass settles over Puget Sound for a few days.
It happens more often than people remember. On December 27, 2021, Seattle’s high temperature was only 23°F, the coldest high in 31 years, after a morning low of 17°F that broke the daily record (KING 5). In January 2024, the high at Sea-Tac on January 13 was only 22°F (FOX 13), and the Seattle Fire Department estimated about 175 burst-pipe calls starting January 12. Burst pipes flooded the baggage claim at Sea-Tac Airport and apartments at Seattle University (KIRO 7, January 16, 2024).
A frozen pipe often doesn’t leak while it’s frozen. The ice splits the pipe, and the water comes out when it thaws, which is why many burst-pipe calls come in a day or two after the cold breaks.
Which pipes are most at risk
- Outdoor hose bibs and irrigation or sprinkler lines
- Supply lines in crawl spaces, basements, attics and garages
- Pipes inside exterior walls with little insulation
- Pipes under kitchen and bathroom sinks on outside walls
- The water service line where it comes through the foundation
Sources: American Red Cross; Seattle Public Utilities, January 9, 2024.
How to prevent frozen pipes before a cold snap
- Find your main water shutoff now. In most Seattle-area homes it is in the basement, crawl space or garage. Make sure it turns, and show everyone in the house where it is.
- Disconnect hoses and protect outdoor faucets. Drain and store garden hoses. If you have an indoor valve that feeds an outdoor faucet, close it and leave the outdoor faucet open so it can drain. Otherwise use an insulated faucet cover.
- Insulate exposed pipes in the crawl space, garage and attic with foam pipe sleeves, or use UL-listed heat tape, and seal gaps where pipes enter the house.
- Close crawl-space foundation vents during a hard freeze to cut cold drafts, and reopen them when the cold passes so the crawl space can dry.
- Keep the heat on. Keep the thermostat at the same setting day and night, and no lower than 55°F if you leave town.
- Open sink cabinet doors on outside walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
- Let a faucet drip on the coldest nights, using cold water from a faucet fed by exposed pipes. Moving water is less likely to freeze.
- Keep the garage door closed if water lines run through the garage.
Sources: American Red Cross, Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes; Seattle Public Utilities, Cold Weather Burst Your Pipes?
If a pipe is frozen but not leaking
The warning sign is a faucet that gives only a trickle, or nothing, during a freeze. Seattle Public Utilities recommends:
- Leave the faucet open so water can flow as the ice melts.
- Warm the frozen section with hot, wet towels, an electric heating pad or a hair dryer until full pressure comes back.
- Never use an open flame, such as a torch, kerosene or propane heater, or charcoal stove.
- Don’t use electrical devices near standing water.
- Check the other faucets in the house; if one pipe froze, others may have too.
- If you can’t find or reach the frozen section, call a licensed plumber.
Keep an eye on the area as it thaws. If the pipe split, this is when the leak starts.
What to do if a pipe bursts: the first hour
- Shut off the main water valve. If you can’t reach it and you’re a Seattle Public Utilities customer, SPU’s 24-hour line is (206) 386-1800; a crew can shut the water off at the meter (a service charge applies). Outside Seattle, call your own water utility.
- Stay safe around electricity. If water is near outlets, cords or the electrical panel, or the ceiling is sagging, stay out of that area and turn off power only if you can reach the panel from a dry spot.
- Call a plumber to repair the pipe before the water is turned back on.
- Take photos and video of the water, the broken pipe and damaged belongings before anything is moved. This helps with an insurance claim.
- Move what you can. Lift furniture off wet carpet, move electronics, rugs and papers to a dry room, and mop up standing water if it’s safe.
- Call a water damage restoration company. Water spreads under flooring and into walls and insulation within hours. Professional extraction and drying, checked with moisture meters, is what keeps a burst pipe from turning into a mold job.
Why fast drying matters
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency advises drying water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth (EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home). Fans and an open window are rarely enough in a Seattle winter, when the outdoor air is already damp. Water that ran into a wall cavity, under hardwood or into a crawl space needs extraction, commercial dehumidifiers and air movers, and moisture readings until the materials are actually dry.
Our water damage restoration team extracts the water, dries the structure, documents the damage with photos, moisture readings and an itemized scope, and handles repairs afterward. If the water reached the crawl space, see crawl space cleaning and water removal.
Is burst pipe damage covered by insurance?
Often, yes, but it depends on your policy. The Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner says water damage from frozen pipes is usually covered if you kept the home heated, and that you should report the loss quickly. Slow leaks that built up over time usually are not covered (Washington OIC, Leaks, water damage, and mold). Read more in our guide: Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Water Damage in Washington? For what drying and repairs typically cost, see our water damage restoration cost guide.
We work with most insurance companies, but your insurer decides what your policy covers.
Burst pipe cleanup across the Seattle area
911 Restoration of Seattle is based in Federal Way and responds 24/7 across King and Pierce County, including Seattle, Federal Way, Kent, Renton, Auburn, Tacoma, Puyallup and Burien. See all service areas.
Our technicians are IICRC-certified, estimates are free, and our average response time is 45 minutes. Call (206) 203-6155 or request help online.
Frozen and burst pipe FAQs
At what temperature do pipes freeze in Seattle?
Unprotected pipes generally start to be at risk when the outdoor temperature falls to about 20°F, according to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety as cited by the International Code Council. Pipes in crawl spaces, garages and exterior walls freeze first, and wind makes it worse.
Should I let my faucets drip in Seattle?
On the coldest nights, the American Red Cross recommends letting cold water drip from a faucet served by exposed pipes. It’s most useful for faucets on outside walls or fed by lines in the crawl space or garage.
Should I close my crawl-space vents in winter?
Seattle Public Utilities suggests closing foundation vents during a freeze to block cold drafts, then reopening them in spring. Crawl spaces need ventilation the rest of the year to stay dry.
How long does it take to dry out after a burst pipe?
Drying usually takes several days, depending on how much water escaped and what it soaked into. Repairs come after the structure is dry.
Sources
- Seattle Public Utilities, You and Your Utilities: Preparing for Winter in Seattle (January 9, 2024)
- Seattle Public Utilities, Cold Weather Burst Your Pipes?
- American Red Cross, Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes
- International Code Council, Build It to Code to Minimize Damage from Frozen Water Pipes (2014)
- KING 5, Seattle experiences coldest day in 31 years (December 2021)
- KIRO 7, From Sea-Tac to schools: Bursting pipes wreak havoc across Western Washington (January 16, 2024)
- FOX 13, Frigid air remains in Western Washington through Tuesday (January 14, 2024)
- U.S. EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home
- Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, Leaks, water damage, and mold
Last reviewed November 2, 2026.
