Why a frozen pipe leaks after the freeze
Water expands when it freezes. The ice plug does not usually split the pipe at the frozen spot. Pressure builds in the section between the ice and the closed faucet, and the pipe gives there. You often find out a day later, when the sun comes out and the ice melts, and water starts running from a pipe that had been quiet.
Front Range weather makes this worse than the low temperatures alone suggest. A 60 degree afternoon can drop below zero by morning when an arctic front comes down, and that leaves no time for people to drip faucets or open cabinet doors.
The pipes that freeze most in Aurora homes run through exterior walls, over garages, in crawlspaces and in the cold corners of unfinished basements. Hose bibs and sprinkler backflow devices freeze too.
What to do right now
- Shut off the main water valve. If you can't find it or it won't turn, call Aurora Water's emergency line or a plumber to shut it at the curb.
- Open a faucet on the lowest floor to drain the lines and take pressure off the break.
- Turn off power to any room where water is near outlets or light fixtures.
- Look for other frozen spots. If a faucet gives no water, that line may still be frozen and could break when it thaws.
- Take photos of the break and of every wet room, then call.
A restoration crew dries the house. You will still need a plumber to repair the pipe, and many restoration companies can line one up for you.
Burst pipe calls around Aurora
Cold snaps bring the most calls. The 1950s ranch houses in Hoffman Heights and around Original Aurora have more pipes in outside walls and crawlspaces, and many have had additions with plumbing that was never well insulated. Townhomes and condos see a different problem: a pipe breaks in one unit and the water comes through the ceiling of the unit below, so two owners and an HOA end up involved.
Newer homes in southeast Aurora have PEX lines that resist splitting better than copper. They still freeze where builders ran them near rim joists or over garages, and the fittings can let go when the line thaws.
Vacant homes and rentals are a big source of the worst cases. If a house sits empty over a cold stretch with the heat turned down, a break can run for days. Crews cover all Aurora ZIP codes and nearby towns, so landlords can call for any address in the area.