Frozen Pipe Repair Toronto
FROZEN PIPE THAWING AND REPAIR ACROSS TORONTO
When the temperature drops to minus 20 and the wind comes off Lake Ontario, we start getting the same calls from all over the city. The kitchen tap is dry, the laundry line has stopped, or there is frost on a pipe in the basement ceiling. A frozen pipe is more than an inconvenience. Water expands as it freezes, and the pressure it builds inside a copper or PEX line is what splits the pipe. Most bursts are not found until the thaw, when water starts moving again and comes out through the crack.
Rooter Brothers thaws frozen pipes safely, finds the exact point of the freeze, repairs any split or burst section, and fixes the reason it froze in the first place. If water is already coming through a ceiling or wall, shut off your main valve and call our emergency plumber line at (647) 449-5665. We dispatch across Toronto and the GTA 24 hours a day.
Why Pipes Freeze in Toronto Homes
Most of the frozen pipes we thaw are in older homes. The semis and row houses in Leslieville, Riverdale, the Annex, and Roncesvalles were built long before modern insulation standards, and many still have supply lines running along exterior walls, through unheated crawlspaces, or under a back addition sitting on piers. Bungalows in Scarborough, Etobicoke, and North York have their own weak spots: the line to the outdoor hose bib, and the pipe feeding a garage or a basement walkout.
At Rooter Brothers, we have been working in Toronto basements for over 15 years, and frozen pipes follow a pattern. They freeze where cold air gets in: a gap around the water service where it comes through the foundation, a crawlspace vent left open, a kitchen sink on an outside wall with the cabinet doors closed. We look for that cold spot on every call, because thawing the pipe without fixing the cause means it freezes again with the next cold snap.
That is the kind of local knowledge you should expect from a Toronto plumber: fix the cause, not just the frozen section.
Signs You Have a Frozen Pipe
Call a plumber if you notice any of the following during a cold snap:
- No water or only a trickle from one or more taps while the rest of the house works
- Frost or condensation on an exposed pipe in the basement, crawlspace, or garage
- A toilet that will not refill after flushing
- Gurgling or a bad smell from a drain when you open a tap
- A bulge, crack, or visible split along a section of pipe
- Water stains or dripping from a ceiling or wall once the temperature goes up
If you see any of these, do not use a torch or open flame on the pipe. Turn off the main shut-off valve if water is leaking, open the tap closest to the frozen section, and call (647) 449-5665. The City of Toronto gives the same advice: never thaw a pipe with an open flame, a propane heater, or a charcoal stove.
Frozen Pipe Services Rooter Brothers Provides
From a single frozen kitchen line to a burst pipe flooding a finished basement, we handle the full job: thaw, repair, and prevention.
Safe Pipe Thawing
We locate the frozen section and thaw it with controlled heat, never an open flame. Once water is moving, we check the full run for splits before turning the main back on, so a hidden crack does not flood the basement an hour after we leave.
Burst Pipe Repair
A pipe that split while frozen has to be cut out and replaced. We repair copper, PEX, and older galvanized lines, pressure test the repair, and check the drywall and ceiling around it for water that travelled further than you can see.
Pipe Insulation and Heat Cable
For lines that keep freezing, we insulate exposed runs and install thermostat-controlled heat cable where insulation alone will not do the job. Crawlspaces, garages, and back additions are the usual trouble spots.
Pipe Rerouting
Sometimes the only permanent fix is moving the pipe. When a supply line runs along an uninsulated exterior wall, we reroute it to a warm interior wall so it stops freezing every winter.
Frozen Water Service: City Side or Your Side?
If the whole house has no water, the freeze may be in the water service pipe that brings water in from the street. In Toronto, that service line is split in two. Toronto Water is responsible for the section from the watermain to the property line. The section from the property line into your home, and everything inside the house, is the homeowner’s responsibility.
When your neighbours have water and you do not, and the pipe is frozen where it comes through the basement wall, the freeze is almost always on the private side. That is where we come in. If we find the problem is on the City side, we tell you right away so you can call 311 and get Toronto Water out, instead of paying us for work the City handles.
Once the water is back on, have the house checked for slow leaks inside walls and floors. Freeze damage often starts as a pinhole that our water leak detection service can find before it turns into mould or a soaked subfloor. Call (647) 449-5665 or visit our contact page to book.
Frozen Pipe Repair Cost in Toronto
Frozen pipe repair cost depends on where the freeze is, how easy it is to reach, and whether the pipe has burst. Thawing an accessible line in an unfinished basement costs much less than opening a finished ceiling to repair a split pipe.
| Service | Typical Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Frozen pipe thawing | $250 – $450 | Accessible pipe, no damage |
| Burst pipe repair | $350 – $900 | Section replaced and pressure tested |
| Pipe insulation | $200 – $500 | Exposed runs in basement or crawlspace |
| Heat cable installation | $300 – $700 | Thermostat-controlled, per run |
| Pipe rerouting | $800 – $2,000 | Moving a line off an exterior wall |
You get a written price before we start. Call (647) 449-5665 or visit our contact page to book anywhere in Toronto or the GTA.
Fast Response. Upfront Pricing. Guaranteed Work.
Three commitments Rooter Brothers makes on every frozen pipe call across Toronto and the GTA.
Fast Response
A house with no water in January cannot wait until next week. A real person answers every call, and frozen and burst pipes are dispatched as emergencies, day or night.
Upfront Pricing
We tell you what the thaw and any repair will cost before we start. If we open a wall and find more damage, we stop and show you before doing anything extra.
Guaranteed Work
Every repair is pressure tested before we leave. We show you where the pipe froze and what we did so it does not happen again.
Frequently Asked Questions — Frozen Pipe Repair Toronto
01. How do I know if my pipe is frozen or burst?
If a tap gives no water or only a trickle during a cold snap, the pipe is frozen. If you see water dripping, pooling, or staining a ceiling, the pipe has burst, either while frozen or as it thawed. A frozen pipe can split without any sign until the ice melts, which is why we check the full run after thawing.
02. Can I thaw a frozen pipe myself?
For an exposed pipe you can reach, open the nearest tap and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or warm towels, working from the tap back toward the frozen section. Never use a torch, propane heater, or open flame. If the freeze is inside a wall or under a floor, or you cannot find it, call us. Heating the wrong spot can push pressure into a section that is about to split.
03. How long does it take to thaw a frozen pipe?
Most accessible pipes are flowing again within one to two hours. A freeze inside a wall cavity, a crawlspace, or the water service where it enters the foundation can take longer. We give you a realistic timeline once we find where the ice is.
04. Will home insurance cover a burst pipe?
Many Ontario home insurance policies cover sudden water damage from a burst pipe, but coverage varies, and some policies exclude damage if the home was left unheated. Check with your insurer. We provide a written invoice and photos of the damage and the repair to support your claim.
05. How do I stop my pipes from freezing again?
Keep the heat at a steady temperature, especially overnight and when you travel. Open the cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls, shut off and drain the outdoor hose bib in the fall, and seal drafts where pipes enter the house. For lines that freeze every winter, insulation, heat cable, or rerouting is the permanent fix.
Frozen Pipe Repair Across Toronto and the GTA
- Downtown
- Midtown
- North York
- Scarborough
- Etobicoke
- East York
- York
- The Annex
- Leslieville
- Riverdale
- The Beaches
- The Danforth
- Leaside
- Forest Hill
- Rosedale
- Cabbagetown
- Liberty Village
- Parkdale
- The Junction
- Bloor West Village
- Willowdale
- Don Mills
- Mimico
- Long Branch
GTA Communities We Serve
- Brampton
- Caledon
- Hamilton
- Markham
- Mississauga
- Oakville
- Oshawa
- Richmond Hill
- Thornhill
- Vaughan
