How to Keep Pipes From Freezing in a Newmarket Winter
GTA Plumber Match · Updated October 2026
Newmarket gets stretches of -20°C every winter, and that's when calls about frozen and burst pipes pile up. Most of them come from the same few spots in the house.
Where pipes freeze
- Outside hose bibs that weren't shut off and drained in the fall.
- Pipes along outside walls in older homes near Main Street and Fairy Lake.
- Kitchen sinks on outside walls, especially with the cabinet doors shut.
- Garages and rooms over garages.
Before the cold hits
- Shut off the inside valve for each hose bib and open the outside tap to drain it.
- Seal gaps where pipes pass through outside walls.
- On the coldest nights, open the cabinet doors under sinks and let a cold tap drip.
- Going away? Keep the heat at 15°C or higher and have someone check the house, or shut off the main and drain the lines.
If a pipe is frozen
Open the tap it feeds. Warm the pipe slowly with a hair dryer, starting near the tap and working back. Never use a torch or open flame. If you see a crack or bulge, shut off the main before it thaws, because that's when it starts leaking.
If it's already split, text us a photo and your postal code. We'll connect you with a vetted local plumber. Usually same-day, with an upfront flat price before work.
