As the owner and operator of a local pipes and fittings supply company, I’ve spent more winters than I can count talking to homeowners, contractors, and small business owners who’ve had the same panic-inducing conversation: “My pipes burst last night—can you send someone to fix this, and do you have anything to help me make sure it never happens again?” Pipes and Fittings
If you’ve lived in a place where winter temperatures drop below freezing (and stay there for weeks on end), this isn’t just a hypothetical. Burst pipes don’t just ruin your plumbing—they flood walls, warp floors, damage personal belongings, and run up thousands of dollars in repair bills. Last year alone, we supplied replacement fittings to 12 local families who’d dealt with frozen and burst pipes, and every single one told us they wish they’d known the simple, science-backed steps to prevent this before the cold set in.
Today, I’m sharing the practical, fact-based tips we’ve seen work time and again, tailored to work with the pipes and fittings we supply for residential, commercial, and even small-scale construction projects. Let’s start with the basics that too many people skip, because understanding why freezing causes damage is the key to stopping it.
The Science Behind Frozen Pipe Damage (And Why Your Fittings Matter)
When water turns to ice, it expands by roughly 9%—that’s a physical rule, not a myth. But it’s not just the ice itself that causes breaks. Here’s what happens: water flows through pipes at a relatively constant pressure. When a section of the pipe (or a fitting) freezes, that section becomes a blockage. The still water behind that blockage keeps expanding, creating pressure that builds until it has nowhere to go. That pressure can crack the pipe itself, or split a fitting at the joints—especially if that fitting is old, made of low-quality materials, or installed incorrectly.
This is where the quality of the pipes and fittings you use makes a huge difference. A cheap, thin plastic supply line might crack under that 1,500+ PSI of ice pressure, but a durable, cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) pipe or a properly installed brass fitting can flex slightly to accommodate that expansion without breaking. Last winter, one of our regular contractors installed our commercial-grade PEX lines with the matching brass compression fittings for a new walk-in cooler, and even when temperatures dropped to 12 degrees Fahrenheit, they had no issues—while three nearby buildings with standard PVC pipes and fittings had burst within 48 hours. That’s not luck—it’s using the right components for the job.
Now, let’s get into the actionable steps you can take, organized by which part of your plumbing system you’re addressing.
Insulate: The Single Most Effective Step We Recommend
Insulation isn’t just for keeping your home warm—it’s the first line of defense against frozen pipes. The goal here is to maintain the temperature of the water inside the pipe above 32°F, even when outside temperatures are way lower. Not all insulation is the same, and using the right one paired with the right fittings makes this even more effective.
First, target the areas of your home that are most exposed to cold: exterior walls, basements, attics, crawl spaces, and any pipes that run along unheated floors or ceilings. For pipes in these spaces, we supply two main types of insulation that work best for our customers: foam pipe insulation sleeves and fiberglass wrap.
Foam insulation sleeves are the easiest to install—they slip right over most standard ½-inch or ¾-inch pipes, and come with a slit down the side so you don’t have to cut them to fit. For joints, elbows, and T-fittings, we sell pre-cut insulating tape or small foam fitting covers that wrap around the curved, harder-to-inspect areas. This is key because most people forget that fittings are just as vulnerable as straight pipe—an uninsulated elbow in an unheated crawl space is just as likely to freeze as a straight run of pipe.
For areas that are extra cold, like unheated garages or exterior wall cavities, adding an extra layer of insulation (or even a heat trace cable) paired with our UV-resistant foam insulation for outdoor pipes works even better. I always tell customers: if you can see a pipe that runs along an outside wall, it needs insulation. Last month, a homeowner came in saying their garage sink pipe froze every year—after we explained that their pipe was bare right against the outside wall, we supplied insulation sleeves and a small heat trace kit, and they haven’t had a problem since.
One common mistake people make here is using the wrong insulation. For example, don’t use standard household insulation (like fiberglass attic batts) around small pipes—they won’t seal the air gaps that let cold in, and they can leave parts of the pipe exposed. Stick to pipe-specific insulation, which is designed to fit tightly and cover every inch of the pipe and its fittings.
Seal Air Leaks: Block Cold Air Where It Gets In
Even if your pipes are insulated, cold air leaking into your walls, floors, or crawl spaces can find its way to your pipes and cause them to freeze. Sealing these gaps is a quick, low-cost step that we recommend to every customer.
Start by checking areas where pipes penetrate your home: where they come through exterior walls, foundation walls, or crawl space access points. Use silicone caulk or expanding foam (but make sure it’s the low-expanding kind—too much foam can shift or damage pipes) to seal any gaps around pipe fittings, pipe penetrations, and the gaps between your home’s frame and exterior walls.
I always advise homeowners to check their attic hatches and crawl space doors too—if these areas are drafty, they’ll let cold air seep down to pipes in the ceiling or floor. Adding weatherstripping to these doors and hatches is a simple fix, and it also helps lower your heating bills, so it’s a win-win.
For older homes, pay extra attention to floor joists in the basement or crawl space. Sometimes, a gap under a subfloor can let cold air rise directly to the pipes running between joists. We often supply lightweight, sprayable foam sealant for these tight gaps, since it’s easy to apply and lasts for multiple winters.
Keep Water Flowing: Stagnant Water Freezes Faster Than Moving Water
This is a tip that’s so simple, it’s often overlooked. Moving water doesn’t freeze as easily as still water—so keeping a small trickle of water running through your pipes when temperatures dip below freezing can prevent ice buildup, even if your heat goes out for a few hours.
But here’s the right way to do this (so you don’t waste water or cause water damage): you only need a tiny flow—not a full stream. For exposed pipes, leave both hot and cold water taps dripping just enough that you can hear a steady, soft drip. This keeps the water in the pipe moving, so it doesn’t have time to freeze solid.
Wait, but what about pipes that aren’t exposed? If you have pipes in an unheated attic or crawl space, a dripping tap can still help, but we also recommend checking if those pipes have any valves or shutoff points that can be adjusted to keep a slight flow. Another trick: open cabinet doors under sinks that are on exterior walls. Letting warm air from your home circulate around those pipes and their fittings keeps them above freezing, even if the cabinet is right next to an outside wall.
One note about this tip: it works best for short periods of extreme cold (24 to 48 hours). If you’re going to be away from home for an extended period in freezing weather, don’t just leave a tap dripping—follow our next step for emptying unused pipes.
Drain and Disconnect Outdoor Pipes: Don’t Forget Exterior Faucets
Outdoor spigots, hose bibs, and the pipes that connect them are some of the most common points of frozen pipe damage we see every winter. These are exposed to wind and cold directly, so they freeze faster than indoor pipes, and the fittings here are often installed with old, low-quality parts that can’t handle expansion.
The process here is simple, but it has to be done correctly. First, turn off the water supply to your outdoor spigot from inside your home (usually there’s a shutoff valve located in your basement, crawl space, or utility room). Then, open the outdoor faucet fully to drain any remaining water from the pipe. Most hose bibs have a small drain plug at the base—take that off to let any leftover water escape, then store your garden hose indoors.
If you have an outdoor hose that runs to a garage or shed, disconnect that hose before temperatures drop to freezing. Even if the hose isn’t connected, water can sit in the fitting at the spigot and freeze. We supply frost-free hose bibs as a long-term upgrade too—these are designed to keep the shutoff valve inside your home, so the pipe from the house to the spigot never gets exposed to cold, drastically reducing the risk of freezing.
Maintain a Consistent Indoor Temperature: Even When You’re Away
Leaving your home at a consistent temperature, even if you’re at work or on vacation, is a simple way to prevent frozen pipes. I know it’s tempting to turn the thermostat down to save energy when you’re gone, but setting it to at least 55°F will keep the air inside your home warm enough that the pipes won’t freeze. For extra assurance, some of our customers install smart thermostats that let them adjust temperatures remotely, or pipe thermometers that send an alert if a pipe’s temperature drops too low.
If you do have to leave for an extended period (like a winter vacation in a warm place), make sure to turn off the main water supply and drain all the pipes. This is especially important for vacation homes, which often sit empty for weeks at a time. We supply the necessary tools for this—pipe wrenches to shut off the main valve, and small pump kits to blow out any remaining water from the lines, including the fittings. Last year, a customer who owns a cabin came to us in October, told us he’d had a pipe burst there two years prior, and we walked him through draining the lines, and supplied a few extra insulation sleeves for the main water line. He didn’t have a single issue all winter.
When It Comes to Fittings, Quality Beats Cost
Throughout all these tips, I can’t stress enough how important it is to use high-quality pipes and fittings for your plumbing system. Cheap PVC pipes can crack under pressure from expanding ice, and low-quality plastic fittings can split at the joints, even with insulation. Our company focuses on supplying durable, code-compliant PEX pipes, brass compression fittings, and copper pipes that are designed to handle temperature extremes, and we stand behind every product we sell.
For example, brass fittings are far more resistant to cracking from ice expansion than PVC or even some thin plastic fittings. When you connect a PEX line to a brass fitting, that combination flexes just enough to absorb the 9% expansion of ice, without breaking. We’ve seen this time and again: contractors who use our brass fittings and PEX lines report zero frozen pipe-related calls during the winter, while those who use generic fittings have 2 or 3 issues per project.
Another thing: always make sure fittings are installed correctly. Even the best fitting will fail if it’s not seated properly or tightened with the right tools. We offer free installation tips for every product we sell, and our team is always available to walk you through how to connect a new fitting or pipe, so you don’t make a mistake that could lead to a freeze.
What To Do If You Do Have a Frozen Pipe (And How We Can Help)
Even with all these steps, sometimes a pipe will freeze. If you notice a leak, frost on a pipe, or no water coming from a tap, turn off the main water supply immediately to prevent bursting, then apply gentle heat to the frozen section. Use a hair dryer, space heater, or heating pad (never an open flame or a blowtorch—this can melt pipes and start fires). Once the ice thaws, check for leaks, and if you find one, call a plumber. If you need replacement pipes or fittings, we have same-day pickup and local delivery for emergency orders, so you can get your home back to normal quickly.
Let Us Help You Winterize Your Plumbing Today
Preventing frozen pipes doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require planning and the right products. Whether you’re a homeowner looking to winterize your pipes, a contractor working on a new build, or a small business owner who needs durable fittings for your commercial plumbing, our team is here to help. We can assess your plumbing’s vulnerability, recommend the right insulation, fittings, and pipes, and answer any questions you have about winterizing your system.
Don’t wait until the first cold snap hits—taking these steps now will save you from the stress, cost, and hassle of burst pipes later. Reach out to our team to learn more about our products and services, or to schedule a consultation for your home or business. We’re here to make sure your plumbing stays safe, even in the coldest winter months.
References
PPR Pipe American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE). (2021). Winter Plumbing Protection Guidelines. ASPE Press.
International Code Council (ICC). (2022). Residential Plumbing Code: Freeze Prevention Requirements. ICC Publications.
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). (2020). Home Efficiency Guide: Preventing Frozen Pipes. DOE Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.
Zhuji Xishun Pipe Industry Co., Ltd.
Zhuji Xishun Pipe Industry Co., Ltd. is one of the most professional pipes and fittings manufacturers and suppliers in China, featured by quality products and good service. With abundant experience, we warmly welcome you to buy advanced pipes and fittings made in China here from our factory.
Address: F5-19819&F5-19814 Shop, 5th Floor, 25th Gate, Yiwu Int’l Trading Mart, Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province, China
E-mail: xspipefittings@163.com
WebSite: https://www.xishunpipe.com/
