Frozen pipes
If only a trickle comes out on a bitter night, assume a frozen pipe. Leave that faucet open and warm the pipe with a hair dryer, heating pad or hot, wet towels until full pressure returns. No open flame. Call a licensed plumber if you cannot reach or thaw it.1
Free service. Call now and we'll connect you with a local restoration company. How it works
Faribault's normal overnight low stays under 32°F from November through March, and January's averages 4.8°F.2
| January | 4.8 °F |
|---|---|
| February | 7.9 °F |
| March | 20.4 °F |
| April | 32.9 °F |
| May | 45.2 °F |
| June | 57.2 °F |
| July | 60.6 °F |
| August | 57.9 °F |
| September | 49.7 °F |
| October | 35.7 °F |
| November | 23.8 °F |
| December | 12.6 °F |
Pipes that freeze first
Those on exterior walls and in unheated spaces: garages, attics, basements and even kitchen cabinets.1
Where the water enters
The Red Cross names the place the water service comes in through the foundation as a likely spot.1
Winter snow too
December through February each average about 9 to 11 inches of snow.2
Thawing safely
What the Red Cross says to do
- 01
Leave the faucet open
Running water helps melt the ice as you warm the pipe.1
- 02
Find the frozen stretch
Start with pipes on outside walls and where the line enters through the foundation. If one is frozen, check the other faucets too.1
- 03
Use gentle heat
A hair dryer, an electric heating pad or towels soaked in hot water, until full pressure is back.1
- 04
Never a flame
No blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, or charcoal stove. If you cannot find or reach it, call a licensed plumber.1
Before a cold snap
- Hold the thermostat at the same setting day and night.1
- Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors on outside walls to let warm air in.1
- On very cold nights, let a little cold water drip from faucets fed by exposed pipes.1
- Going away? Keep the heat at 55°F or higher.1
- Shut off and drain outside faucets.3
If it already split
Shut off the main, keep off a wet floor with the power on, and photograph it. Triple-I says burst pipes are covered by homeowners and renters insurance.3
How this works
What happens when you call
It is free to call, and calling commits you to nothing.
![A man in a flannel shirt stands at the top of the basement stairs on the phone, looking down at water on the basement floor.]()
1You call
Tell them what happened and where. Have the address ready.
- 2
We connect you
A call network puts you through to an independent local restoration company that serves Faribault and is taking calls.
![A technician crouches by a sump pit and points to the pump while the homeowner listens, stone foundation walls behind them.]()
3They assess and quote
If you want a visit, they look at the damage and quote their own price. Ask for it in writing.
We are a free referral service, not a contractor. The company that answers sets its own prices. How this service works
Want a local company to look at it?
Free to call. An independent restoration company that serves Faribault answers, and you decide what happens next.
Call (507) 333-9838Faribault Water Damage Advice is a free referral and information service, not a contractor. Calls go through our call-tracking line to independent local restoration companies, and we may be paid when a call qualifies. We do not do the work and do not set prices or availability. How it works
Sources
Each numbered note on this page points here. We read every page on October 24, 2026. Where sources disagree we say so; where we could not find a source we left the claim out. We are not affiliated with any of these organizations.
- American Red Cross, Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes. Copyright 2026. www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/winter-storm…
- NOAA NCEI, U.S. Monthly Climate Normals 1991-2020, Faribault (station USC00212721), minimum temperature and snowfall. 1991-2020 normals. www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00…
- Triple-I (Insurance Information Institute), How to protect your home from water damage. No date shown (page copyright 2026). www.iii.org/article/how-to-protect-your-home-from-water-damage