Winter plumbing, 24-hour service
Frozen pipe repair in Louisville
Pipe frozen or split? Water line broken in the yard? Call Parker Plumbing at (502) 239-1163, day or night. The steps below tell you what to do while you wait.
If a pipe freezes or bursts
No water, or only a trickle, from a faucet on a very cold day? Frost on a pipe you can see? That pipe may be frozen. Here is what to do.
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Water spraying? Shut off the main
If a pipe has split and water is spreading, turn off the main water valve first. Then call. Shut it off fast to limit damage to floors and walls. If water reaches outlets or the electric panel, stay clear of it.
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Frozen but not leaking? Open the faucet
Open the faucet that pipe feeds and leave it open. That gives the water a way out as the ice melts. Check the other faucets too. If one pipe froze, others may have.
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Use gentle heat, never a flame
Warm the pipe with a hair dryer, a heating pad or towels soaked in hot water. A space heater works if nothing near it can burn. Keep cords and dryers away from water. Never use a torch, a kerosene or propane heater, or any open flame.
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Watch it as it thaws
Know where the main shut-off is before you start. When the water runs again, look at that pipe for a few minutes. A split often shows only after the ice melts. If it drips or sprays, shut off the main.
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Call us
Cannot find the frozen spot, cannot reach it, cannot thaw it, or the pipe has split? Call (502) 239-1163. Tell us where the water is and what you shut off. We tell you when we can get there.
Do pipes freeze in Louisville?
Below-zero days are rare in Louisville. The airport hit −5°F on December 23, 2022, says the National Weather Service. Wind chills were near 30 below. Single-digit nights are not rare, and they can freeze pipes on outside walls, in crawl spaces and in garages. In one cold week in early 2026, Louisville Water logged more than 500 “no water” calls. Most were frozen pipes in homes.
When a frozen pipe splits, the water comes fast once it thaws.
Even so, most of the winter calls we get in Jefferson County are something else:
- A break in the water service line in the yard, between the meter and the house
- A leak in the crawl space, where pipes get the least heat
- An outdoor spigot that split because a hose stayed on it
These are easy to miss. Watch for:
- A soggy spot in the yard that stays wet
- Low water pressure or a high water bill
- Water running when every tap is off
No water at any faucet? Ask a neighbor, and look for Louisville Water crews on your street. That points to a main break, and the water company fixes those. If only your house is dry, the cause is likely a frozen pipe or a broken line on your side of the meter. That is a job for a plumber, so call us.
Leave the water meter in the yard alone. If you think the meter itself is frozen, call Louisville Water at (502) 583-6610.
Find your main shut-off before you need it
If a pipe bursts, the main shut-off is the first thing to reach for. In most homes it is near where the water line comes through the foundation. Look on the basement wall, in the crawl space, near the water heater, in a utility closet or in the garage. A valve under a sink only shuts off that sink, so make sure you have the main one.
Find it now, while nothing is leaking. Turn it off, then open faucets in two rooms. If the water stops at both, that is the main. Turn it back on. Show everyone in the house where it is. Renting? Ask your landlord.
Valve stuck or will not turn? Call us and we will look at it before winter. For leaks in the line itself, see water line repair and replacement.
How to keep pipes from freezing
A few small jobs in the fall can save a repair in January. These steps follow Louisville Water and the American Red Cross frozen pipe guide.
Take the hoses off
Disconnect, drain and store every garden hose. A hose left on holds water in the spigot, and that water can freeze and split it.
Shut off outdoor spigots
If a spigot has its own shut-off valve inside, close it. Then open the spigot outside and leave it open so the line can drain.
Cover the pipes in cold spots
Pipes in a crawl space, garage or outside wall freeze first. Wrap them with foam pipe sleeves. Cover the crawl-space vents for the winter, unless a gas furnace or water heater sits down there. Cannot get under the house? We can check it for you.
When it drops below freezing
Keep the heat at the same setting day and night. Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls, and move cleaners out of reach of children. Let cold water drip from those faucets, a stream about as thin as a pencil point. Keep the garage door shut.
Going away?
Leave the heat on and set it no lower than 55°F. Need an empty house or rental ready for winter? Call and ask.
Winter plumbing work we handle
Frozen pipe repair
Frozen and burst pipes: stopping the water, finding the split and repairing the pipe.
Water service lines in the yard
Finding the break and fixing it, including the digging. One crew does both. See water lines and excavation.
Crawl-space leaks
Finding and repairing leaking pipes under the house.
Outdoor spigots
Repairing or replacing a spigot that leaks or has split.
Winterizing
Getting outdoor lines and spigots ready for the cold. Manage an empty house or rental? See plumbing for property managers.
24-hour service
Call any time, day or night. See 24-hour emergency plumbing.
Where we work in winter
Parker Plumbing is a family business that has worked in Louisville since 1985. Our shop is in Fern Creek. In a cold snap the crew goes all over Louisville and Jefferson County, including Jeffersontown, Hikes Point and Okolona. We also work in Mount Washington, Shelbyville, Bardstown, Elizabethtown and Radcliff.
Not sure we come to you? See the full Parker Plumbing service area, or call and ask about your address.
Common questions
Still not sure? Call and ask. You talk to the people who do the work.
Call (502) 239-1163Do pipes freeze often in Louisville?
Below-zero days are rare here. Single-digit nights are not, and they can freeze pipes on outside walls, in crawl spaces and in garages. Even so, our more common winter calls are yard water line breaks and crawl-space leaks.
How can I tell if a pipe is frozen or burst?
A frozen pipe gives you little or no water at the faucet, and you may see frost on it. A burst pipe leaks. Look for water on the floor, a wet ceiling or wall, or the sound of running water. Shut off the main if anything is leaking, then call.
I have no water on a cold morning. Is it the city or my pipes?
When a house has no water in cold weather, it is usually the pipes. Louisville Water says most of its cold-weather “no water” calls end up being frozen pipes in the home. If only one or two faucets are dry, a pipe in the house is likely frozen. If the whole street is out, it may be a main break. If it is just your house, call us.
There is a wet spot in my yard. Is that a water line?
It can be. These signs can point to a break between the meter and the house: a soggy spot that stays wet, low water pressure or a high water bill. Call and we will check.
Should I let my faucets drip?
When it drops below freezing, yes, for faucets on outside walls. Use cold water, a stream about as thin as a pencil point. Keep it small.
Do you come out at night?
Yes. Parker offers 24-hour emergency service. Call (502) 239-1163.