5 services · Georgia
Leaks, pipes & freezing in Georgia
Georgia's mostly mild winters still bring hard freezes and ice storms to the Atlanta area and north Georgia, which split pipes in crawl spaces and exterior walls of homes built for warm weather.
- Licensed local plumbers
- The problem explained before work starts
- Price agreed before the job begins
Statewide conditions
Leaks, pipes & freezing in Georgia: what to know
Basements are common in the hilly north and Atlanta suburbs, while slabs and crawl spaces dominate further south. Older intown Atlanta homes and historic districts in Savannah and Augusta have galvanized supply that corrodes and lowers pressure. Humid crawl spaces hide slow leaks.
Georgia licenses plumbers through the State Construction Industry Licensing Board, and cities and counties issue permits.
- Climate
- Georgia gets periodic hard freezes and ice storms, often after mild spells, which catch exposed pipes off guard. Pipes in crawl spaces, exterior walls and garages are the first to freeze.
- Typical foundations
- Basements are common in the hilly north and the Atlanta suburbs, while slabs and crawl spaces dominate further south. Most common: basements, crawl spaces, concrete slabs.
Leaks, pipes & freezing services
Burst pipe repair
Turn off the main water shutoff first, then open a faucet on the lowest floor to drain the lines. A plumber cuts out the split section, replaces it, and checks the rest of that pipe run, because one freeze rarely damages only one spot.
Frozen pipe thawing
If a faucet gives no water or only a trickle after a hard freeze, a pipe is frozen. Leave that faucet open, warm the area gently, and call a plumber if you can't find the frozen section or if it's inside a wall, because a split pipe will leak as soon as it thaws.
Leak detection
Turn off every fixture and watch the water meter's leak indicator. If it moves, water is leaking somewhere. A plumber uses pressure tests, acoustic listening and thermal imaging to find the leak so only a small section of wall or floor has to be opened.
Repiping
Repiping replaces a home's water supply lines, usually because old galvanized steel has corroded or polybutylene is at risk of failing. Most repipes today use PEX, take two to five days, and are done through small wall openings rather than gutting the house.
Water line repair
The water service line runs from the curb stop near the street to your house, buried below the frost line. A leak shows up as a soggy patch in the yard, low pressure throughout the house, or a meter that never stops. Repair means finding the leak, then fixing that spot or replacing the line.
Leaks, pipes & freezing by city in Georgia
Local pages cover each city's water provider, permit office and housing. Not listed? Check your ZIP code below.
Leaks, pipes & freezing questions in Georgia
Do pipes freeze in Georgia?
Should I turn off the water if a pipe bursts?
How these problems start and how to choose between repair options is covered in the leaks, pipes & freezing guide.
More plumbing in Georgia
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