Frozen, split and spraying lines

Burst Pipe Water Damage in Carrollton

A line split inside a wall, a joint spraying under the sink, or a stain after a freezing night? Close the main valve, take photos, then call (678) 270-2458 and say where the water comes from.

Call (678) 270-2458

What you may be seeing

No water, or only a trickle, after a freezing night
A hiss or drip inside a wall or above a ceiling while every tap is closed
A wet patch on a wall, floor or ceiling with no appliance nearby
A pipe beneath a sink or down in the crawl space that is bowed, cracked or spraying
A water meter whose dial keeps turning with every tap and appliance shut

Technician with a wrench at a dripping pipe under a sink

What the photo shows

A wrench under the bathroom sink

A technician kneels under a bathroom sink with an adjustable wrench, beside a cracked white pipe that drips onto the tile. A crack like that can come from freezing or from an old fitting giving way. The first job in a scene like this is the shutoff valve, before anyone looks at the floor.

Walk away and get help if

Water running through a ceiling light, an outlet or the panel: leave the room and keep clear of the switches. A spark or a burning odor means dial 911.
A ceiling that sags or holds a bulge of water: do not stand below it, and dial 911 the moment plaster or drywall starts to drop.
Do not use an open flame on a frozen pipe. The National Weather Service names a space heater, heating pad, hair dryer or hot cloth, with a faucet open.
Gas odor in the same space as a water heater or furnace: get out of the house, then use the Atlanta Gas Light number, 877-427-4321, from the street, or dial 911.

Safe things to look at

These are looks and touches, nothing more. Stay with the ones that feel comfortable, and skip any that put you near water, wiring or a ladder.

Close the main water valve. Texas AgriLife Extension advises knowing where the main valve sits outside the home before trouble starts.
Read the Carrollton meter with every tap closed. A digital meter showing a rate above zero, or an analog sweep hand that moves, means water is still flowing.
Photograph the pipe, the stain and the floor around it before anything is moved.
If a line is frozen but not yet split, open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls and leave one faucet dripping, as UGA Extension suggests.

What often sits behind it

Water that froze inside a pipe on an outside wall, in a crawl space or in an attic
A hose left on an outdoor spigot through a cold night
A joint or fitting worn through over the years
A supply line under a sink or behind a toilet that cracked or worked loose
A pipe that split while frozen and only started leaking once it thawed

When a frozen line will not wait

The pipe has split and water is moving, even slowly. Texas AgriLife Extension notes that a broken pipe will leak once the water thaws.
The frozen pipe sits in an outside wall, a crawl space, an attic or a garage and cannot be reached. The NWS lists those spots as the ones that freeze most often.
The water has been running into insulation or behind drywall. The Pennsylvania DEP sheet says insulation can pull water up well above the point of contact.

Cold-weather mistakes with pipes

Leaving a hose attached to an outdoor faucet through a freeze. UGA Extension says to disconnect hoses, shut off the water to each faucet and drain the pipe.
Waiting until a pipe is spraying to look for the main valve.
Thawing with a torch or any open flame; the NWS says never.
Taking down wet drywall before it is photographed. The state insurance commissioner's office wants pictures of the damage taken before any temporary repair.

Freezing nights, month by month

Carrollton's 1991-2020 normals count nights at or below 32 °F: 17.7 in January, 15.9 in December, 13.2 in February and 9.1 in November.
March has 7.2 of them, while April and October have fewer than one each.
The annual count is 64.8 nights, and the normal January low is 31.6 °F.

Questions, answered briefly

How urgent is a split pipe?

Closing the main valve comes first, since it stops the damage from growing. A spraying line near wiring scores an 8 to 10 on the checklist and a steady drip over tile a 4 to 7. After that, call (678) 270-2458 and say which wall or floor the pipe runs through.

How cold does it have to get for pipes to freeze?

Texas AgriLife Extension puts the risk at outside temperatures of 20 °F or below. In Carrollton's 1991-2020 normals, 64.8 nights each year reach 32 °F or lower, and 17.7 of them fall in January.

Does a pipe in Villa Rica get the same help?

The line covers Carrollton and the neighboring towns, including water damage in Villa Rica and Whitesburg water damage. Once the main valve is closed, call (678) 270-2458 and name the room the pipe sits in.

Before a crew arrives

Plumbing repairs in Carrollton go through the city's building office. Which office answers in Carrollton, Villa Rica and Whitesburg is on Before you hire.

The job next door

Appliance and Water Heater Leaks in Carrollton

Water heaters, washers and dishwashers

Where this came from (8)

Checked 1 Nov 2026