Frozen pipes in Boise
If a faucet gives only a trickle in freezing weather, suspect a frozen pipe. Keep the faucet open, warm the pipe with a hair dryer, heating pad or hot towels (never a flame) until full pressure returns, and call a licensed plumber if you cannot find or reach it.1
Free service. Call now and we'll connect you with a local restoration company. How it works
November to February, Boise's normal overnight low sits below freezing. January averages 25.5°F.2
| January | 25.5 °F |
|---|---|
| February | 29 °F |
| March | 34.9 °F |
| April | 39.6 °F |
| May | 47.5 °F |
| June | 54.1 °F |
| July | 61.9 °F |
| August | 60.8 °F |
| September | 52.6 °F |
| October | 41.5 °F |
| November | 31.7 °F |
| December | 25.4 °F |
Where they freeze first
Pipes along exterior walls, and in unheated spaces such as garages, attics, basements and even kitchen cabinets.1
Where the water comes in
The Red Cross names the spot where the water service enters through the foundation as a likely freezing point.1
Outside faucets
Triple-I says to turn off and drain outside faucets to protect against frozen pipes.3
Thawing a pipe
Four steps, from the Red Cross
- 01
Open the faucet
Keep the faucet open so water can flow as the ice melts.1
- 02
Find the frozen section
Check pipes on exterior walls, in cabinets and where the service enters through the foundation.1 If one pipe is frozen, check every faucet: others may be too.1
- 03
Apply gentle heat
An electric heating pad, a hair dryer, or towels soaked in hot water. Keep going until full pressure returns.1
- 04
No open flame, ever
Not a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, or charcoal stove.1 If you cannot find, reach or thaw it, call a licensed plumber.1
Before the cold snap
- Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night.1
- Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors so warmer air reaches the plumbing.1
- In very cold weather, let cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes.1
- If you will be away, leave the heat on, set no lower than 55°F.1
- Turn off and drain outside faucets.3
If it has already burst
Shut off the main, make the power safe and photograph the damage. The burst-pipe page has the order of steps.
How this works
What happens when you call
It is free to call, and calling commits you to nothing.
![A man on the phone by a snowy window, towels lined up along a wet wall behind him.]()
1You call
Tell them what happened and where. Have the address ready.
- 2
We connect you
A call network puts you through to an independent local restoration company that serves Boise and is taking calls.
![A technician wearing a headlamp lies in a crawl space, checking a dripping pipe with torn insulation.]()
3They assess and quote
If you want a visit, they look at the damage and quote their own price. Ask for it in writing.
We are a free referral service, not a contractor. The company that answers sets its own prices. How this service works
Want a local company to look at it?
Free to call. An independent restoration company that serves Boise answers, and you decide what happens next.
Call (208) 994-8334Boise Water Damage Advice is a free referral and information service, not a contractor. Calls go through our call-tracking line to independent local restoration companies, and we may be paid when a call qualifies. We do not do the work and do not set prices or availability. How it works
Sources
Each numbered note on this page points here. We read every page on October 24, 2026. Where sources disagree we say so; where we could not find a source we left the claim out. We are not affiliated with any of these organizations.
- American Red Cross, Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes. Copyright 2026. www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/winter-storm…
- NOAA NCEI, U.S. Monthly Climate Normals 1991-2020, Boise Air Terminal (station USW00024131), minimum temperature. 1991-2020 normals. www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00…
- Triple-I (Insurance Information Institute), How to protect your home from water damage. No date shown (page copyright 2026). www.iii.org/article/how-to-protect-your-home-from-water-damage