Frozen & burst pipes · Eatonville and nearby
Frozen pipe? Here's what to do first.
Eric Williams thaws, repairs and insulates frozen pipes for homes from Eatonville to Yelm. If water is spraying, shut off the main and call now.
- Licensed plumbing contractor
- Bonded & insured
- Eric does the work
Pipe burst?
Do these four things, in order.
- Shut off the main water. On a well, turn off the pump at its breaker.
- Turn off the water heater. Power or gas off.
- Open a faucet to drain what's left in the lines.
- Call Eric.
No water?
Find where it froze.
Which faucets are dry tells you a lot about where the ice is. Answer three questions and you'll know where to look, and what to tell Eric.
Thawing it safely
Warm it slowly. Never with a flame.
These steps follow the American Red Cross guide to frozen pipes. If you can't find the frozen spot or can't reach it, call.
- Open the faucet.
As the ice melts, running water helps melt the rest.
- Warm the pipe you can reach.
A hair dryer, an electric heating pad, or towels soaked in hot water. A space heater works if it's kept away from anything that can burn.
- Keep going until full pressure is back.
Then check every other faucet. One frozen pipe often means another.
- No torch, no propane or kerosene heater, no open flame.
They start fires, and they can overheat the pipe.
Freeze watch · Eatonville · live
How cold does it get around here?
This week's overnight lows for Eatonville from the National Weather Service, and how often each nearby weather station drops to freezing in a normal year.
Loading the Eatonville forecast…
Source: National Weather Service forecast for Eatonville, WA (api.weather.gov)
Nights a year at or below 32°F
Source: NOAA 1991 to 2020 U.S. climate normals, average number of days with a low of 32°F or colder.
- 7°FOlympia Airport, near Yelm, December 31, 2021
- 12°FMcMillin Reservoir, near Graham, December 28, 2021
- 13°FMcMillin Reservoir, January 16, 2024
Coldest recent nights: NOAA daily records via the Regional Climate Centers (ACIS).
Where pipes freeze first
Six spots to check before a cold snap.
Pipes freeze where cold air reaches them and house heat doesn't. Around here, that's usually one of these.
Crawlspaces
An open vent or a pipe with no insulation is the classic one. Close the vents for cold snaps and wrap what's exposed.
Sinks on outside walls
Kitchen and bathroom pipes inside an outside wall. Open the cabinet doors on cold nights so house heat gets in.
Outdoor faucets
Take the hoses off and cover the spigots. Even a frost-free spigot can split the pipe inside the wall if a hose stays on.
Under manufactured homes
The line coming up under the skirting. Check that the heat tape still warms up and keep the skirting closed.
Well pump houses
The pump, the pressure tank and the pressure switch all hold water. A small, safe heat source in the pump house matters.
Garages and add-ons
Lines through an unheated garage, a bonus room or an addition. Insulate them, or keep the garage door shut.
Before the next freeze, go through the freeze checklist on the home page. It remembers what you've ticked.
Frozen pipe questions
What people ask on a cold morning.
Updated November 2026
How do I know a pipe is frozen?
On a cold morning a faucet gives a trickle or nothing at all, while others still work. You may see frost on an exposed pipe or a bulge in it. If every faucet is dry, the freeze is likely on the main line or, on a well, between the well and the house.
Can I thaw a frozen pipe myself?
If you can reach it, yes. The American Red Cross says to keep the faucet open, then warm the pipe with a hair dryer, an electric heating pad, a space heater kept away from anything that can burn, or towels soaked in hot water. Keep heating until full pressure comes back.
Never use a torch, a propane or kerosene heater, or any open flame. If you can't find the frozen spot, can't reach it, or can't thaw it, call a licensed plumber.
Why did the pipe leak after it thawed?
Ice in a pipe pushes water ahead of it, and the pressure builds between the ice and the closed faucet. The pipe can split while it's still frozen, and you only see the leak once it thaws. Keep an eye on the pipe and know where your main shutoff is.
Should I let my faucets drip?
On the coldest nights, yes. The Red Cross notes that running water through the pipe, even at a trickle, helps keep it from freezing. Drip the faucets on outside walls, and open the cabinet doors under them so house heat reaches the pipes.
How cold does it have to get for pipes to freeze?
Water freezes at 32°F, but pipes inside a heated house usually hold out until it's well below that outside for hours. Pipes in crawlspaces, outside walls, garages and pump houses go first. Around Eatonville, the nearby NOAA stations average 50 to 80 nights a year at or below 32°F.
Which towns do you cover for frozen pipes?
Eatonville and the towns around it: Graham, Kapowsin, Ohop Valley, Alder, Elbe, Ashford, Roy, Spanaway, Yelm. Call (253) 254-4061.
Pipe frozen or burst? Call Eric.
Shut off the main first if water is coming out anywhere it shouldn't.