Frozen Well Pipes: Find the Ice, Thaw It Safely, and Keep It From Coming Back

When a well system freezes, the pump down in the well is almost never the problem. The ice is in the shallow, exposed parts: the pressure switch tube, the pressure tank, the line where it comes up into a crawlspace or well house, or a jet pump sitting above ground. Shut off the pump breaker first, find the cold spot, and thaw it with gentle electric heat like a hair dryer or heating pad. Never use a torch or open flame. Here's how to tell where it froze, how to thaw each spot, and how to keep it from happening again.

Why is there no water from my well when it's cold?

If the water quit on the coldest morning of the year, ice is the likely cause. The Water Systems Council notes most well pumps sit deep enough that they don't freeze, so what you need to protect is the exposed casing and the piping. Water in a small, still, exposed pipe freezes first. That makes the short 1/4-inch tube or nipple under the pressure switch a common culprit, followed by pipe running through an unheated crawlspace, garage, or well house.

A slow drop in pressure over a few days of cold can be an early warning. The Water Systems Council lists falling water pressure as a possible sign pipes are starting to freeze, with one caveat: if the pressure was already weak before winter, it's something else. Our low water pressure guide covers the non-ice causes.

Should I turn off the well pump if the pipes are frozen?

Yes, right away. Flip the breaker marked for the well pump (often a double-pole 240-volt breaker) before you do anything else. Ice can leave the pump running with nowhere for the water to go. If the line between the pump and the tank is frozen solid, the pump pushes against a blocked pipe. Pentair's Flotec jet pump manual warns never to run a pump against a closed discharge, because the water inside can boil, build hazardous pressure, and scald whoever handles it. A submersible motor depends on water flowing past it to stay cool; Franklin Electric's installation manual says even 4-inch motors of 2 hp and smaller, which have no set minimum, need flow greater than zero.

A frozen pressure switch tube creates a different problem. The switch can no longer sense real system pressure, so it may never turn the pump on, or it may never turn it off. If the pump keeps running while the gauge climbs past its normal cut-out, kill the power and read our guide to a well pump that keeps running. Leave a faucet open while you thaw, too. The Red Cross advises keeping the faucet open so melting ice has somewhere to go, and running water helps melt the rest.

How do I tell where my well line is frozen?

Start at the pressure tank and work outward. Feel the pipes and look for frost, and check every faucet in the house. The Red Cross suggests testing all of them to find out whether more than one pipe is frozen. The pattern of what works and what doesn't points to the spot.

Look closely at anything that thawed. Water expands as it freezes, so a split pipe, a cracked switch base, or a bulged tank fitting often shows up only once the ice melts and water starts spraying.

How do you thaw a frozen well pipe safely?

Use slow, electric heat you can watch. The Red Cross and the Water Systems Council both recommend the same tools: an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, or a portable space heater kept away from anything flammable. The Red Cross also lists towels soaked in hot water. Keep applying heat until water flows freely from the open faucet. For a switch tube, heat until the tube is clear. Then restore power and confirm the pump builds back to full pressure.

1. Power off. Turn off the pump breaker. Confirm it's dead with a non-contact tester or meter, and leave the switch cover on while you heat it.
2. Open a faucet near the frozen section so meltwater and pressure can escape.
3. Heat from the open end back toward the ice, so water from the melted part can drain out instead of building pressure behind the plug.
4. Keep it gentle. Move the hair dryer back and forth, and don't hold it on one spot. Concentrated heat can soften or warp plastic pipe, the switch base, and tank fittings.
5. Stay with it. Don't leave a space heater or heat lamp running unattended while you go do something else.
6. Restore power and watch. Once water flows, turn the breaker back on and watch the gauge through a full cycle: the pump should start at the cut-in and stop at the cut-out.

Never thaw a pressure switch or its tube with a torch. The Red Cross says not to use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or any open-flame device on frozen pipes. At the switch, a flame can also melt the plastic base and diaphragm and damage the wiring inside a box connected to 240 volts. A heat gun can do the same damage. If the switch looks distorted or cracked after a freeze, replace it. Our pressure switch guide covers the swap.

If you can't find the frozen section, can't reach it, or can't get it to thaw, call for help. The Red Cross says to call a licensed plumber in those cases. For a line frozen underground between the well and the house, a well contractor is usually the right call.

Did the pressure tank or jet pump freeze?

A pressure tank holds a lot of water, so it's usually the last thing to freeze, but it does happen in an unheated well house or garage. Ice in the tank can tear the bladder or split a fitting. After thawing, check for leaks, then check the air pre-charge with the pump off and the tank drained. If water comes out of the air valve, the bladder is gone. If you need a new tank, our pressure tank size calculator helps you pick one.

Jet pumps sit above ground, so they're far more exposed than a submersible. Pentair's Flotec manual says to protect the pump and piping from freezing, warns that a frozen system can severely damage the pump and void the warranty, and tells owners to drain it whenever it's in danger of freezing: disconnect the power, relieve pressure, drain the pressure switch tube, and open the drain plug on the pump body. A cracked pump housing can't be repaired.

Is it frozen, or is the pump dead?

Not every cold-morning outage is ice. Suspect something else if:

• Everything exposed is thawed and there's still no pressure. The pump runs, but the gauge won't climb. A drop pipe may have split, a coupling may have come apart, or the pitless adapter seal may have failed, sending water back down the well.
• The pump doesn't run at all, even with the switch thawed. Check the breaker and the switch contacts. If power reaches the switch and the pump is silent, the motor, wiring, or control box may have failed.
• The breaker trips when the pump tries to start. That's an electrical fault, not ice. Leave it off and call a well contractor.

A contractor can measure the motor's amperage and resistance from the surface before anyone pulls the pump. If it does need replacing, our well pump cost guide lays out the prices.

How do I keep my well from freezing?

Bury what you can, insulate what you can't, and add heat only where you have to.

• Keep the line below frost depth. A pitless adapter connects the water line to the casing below the frost line, which the Water Systems Council defines as the depth at which the ground doesn't freeze. Water turns sideways there, underground, instead of rising through a cold pit. Frost depth varies widely by region and even by soil, so your local building code and well contractor set the actual number. If your well still sits in an old pit, ask about converting it.
• Insulate exposed casing and pipe. The Water Systems Council suggests foam rubber sleeves or fiberglass on exposed casing and pipe, with heating strips under the insulation in unheated crawlspaces. Keep the well cap sealed, and don't pile snow around the wellhead. A tall driveway marker helps plows avoid it.
• Insulate and heat the well house carefully. The Water Systems Council says an above-ground pump should stay where the temperature is above 40°F and needs an insulated enclosure if the area drops below 32°F. Insulate the walls and seal drafts first. If you must add heat, use a thermostat-controlled heater rated for the space, with clearance around it.
• Treat heat tape as an electrical device. The CPSC tells homeowners to plug heat tape into a grounded, GFCI-protected outlet, wrap it directly on the bare pipe, never on top of the pipe insulation, and not overlap it unless the maker allows it. Cover it with insulation only if the manufacturer says to, and then only with nonflammable insulation such as fiberglass, never foam or vinyl. Inspect it every fall and replace it if it's discolored, charred, cracked, or shows bare wire.
• Run a trickle in a deep cold snap. The Water Systems Council suggests leaving the faucet farthest from the water supply open and running slightly; moving water is less likely to freeze. The Red Cross says even a trickle helps. Make sure the pump cycles normally while it runs. On a septic system, save the trickle for the coldest nights: a steady drip down the sewer line can freeze in the pipe to the tank (see our septic freeze protection checklist).
• Drain what you don't use. Shut off and drain outdoor spigots from inside, and disconnect hoses. Have a seasonal cabin drained or winterized before you leave.

Your septic system has its own winter weak spots. Our septic freeze protection checklist covers the house-to-tank line, tank lids, and the drainfield.

When should I call a well contractor?

The Water Systems Council says to contact a licensed well contractor or plumber as soon as possible if your well or pipes freeze. You can handle a frozen switch tube or an exposed pipe yourself. Call a pro when:

• The frozen section is underground, inside the casing, or in a well pit you can't safely enter.
• A pipe, the pitless adapter, the tank, or the pump housing cracked.
• The pump runs but builds no pressure after everything visible has thawed.
• The breaker trips, or the pump won't run with power at the switch.
• The same spot freezes every winter. That's a design problem, such as a shallow line or an old pit, not bad luck.

If the repair opened up the system, the pitless seal failed, or snowmelt flooded a pit, assume bacteria got in. Run a shock chlorination after the repair, then, once the chlorine is fully flushed, test for coliform bacteria before drinking the water again.