Even pipe systems that thread through cabinets or exterior walls can freeze under the right conditions. Pipes located in unheated interior spaces are especially prone to ice blockage, including garages, attics and basements - in fact, up to 37 percent of all frozen pipe failures occur in basements. When a cold snap occurs, many warm-weather structures are unprepared, leading to ice blockages, burst pipes and flooded homes.
Water systems in southern climates are at an even higher risk of frozen or ruptured pipes - often, in warm climates, homes aren’t designed with freezing temperatures in mind, and homeowners aren’t familiar with winterizing techniques. It’s not just northern regions that experience frozen pipes, either. Even small openings can allow a dangerous amount of cold air into a structure, like the small holes that let telephone, cable, internet or television lines enter a room. If unheated spaces have holes, cracks or openings that allow cold, outside air to blow in, the cooling effect often accelerates ice formation. Wind chill plays a significant role in freezing pipes, too. This is where the pipe bursts - usually, in places without any ice at all. However, the pipe rarely bursts where ice has formed - instead, freezing portions of the pipe force pressure “downstream,” between the faucet and the ice blockage. If the water inside freezes, it expands, putting the whole system at risk of rupture. The same principle applies to water pipes. The expanding tendency explains why you have to be careful with what you put in a freezer - some objects, such as soda cans, will explode if left in a freezing environment for too long.
Water pipes that freeze are at risk of rupturing, leading to serious leaks and flooding. But a frozen pipe is more than an inconvenience.