Frozen Pipes in a Roslindale Cold Snap: What to Do First

The Catherine Street and Bourne Street valve failure

In January 2025 a 6-inch hydrant gate valve failed near Catherine Street and Bourne Street in Roslindale. The failure flooded the street and left about 50 homes without water.

The Boston Water and Sewer Commission said it was a valve failure, not a water main break. Temperatures were in the single digits, so the floodwater froze and left icy conditions.

The event is a reminder of how cold changes the problem. Water that would run off in mild weather freezes and stays, and the same cold works on pipes and fittings indoors.

How freezing weather stresses pipes and fittings

Water expands when it turns to ice. Inside a pipe, that expansion builds pressure between the ice and a closed faucet, and the pipe or a fitting gives way at its weakest spot.

Pipes are most at risk where cold air reaches them, so the weak points sit in a handful of places.

• Pipes inside exterior walls.
• Supply pipes under sinks on outside walls.
• Pipes in unheated basements, porches or entries.
• Outdoor faucets and the pipes just behind them.

Spotting a frozen pipe before it splits

A pipe that is frozen but not yet split still holds water, so the answer is a safe thaw. A pipe that has split leaks as the ice melts.

• A faucet that runs a trickle, or nothing, while the rest of the house has water.
• Frost on an exposed pipe or a visible bulge in the metal.
• A cold spot on a wall or cabinet where a pipe runs behind it.
• Sudden loss of water pressure at one fixture during a hard freeze.

Thawing safely and shutting off the water

The order matters: stop the water, then warm the pipe.

Before thawing

Find the main shutoff and close it. That way, if the pipe has already split, melting ice will not turn into a flood.

• Open the faucet so melting water and steam have somewhere to go.
• Keep a bucket and towels close.

Safe thawing

Warm the pipe slowly, starting near the faucet and working toward the frozen section.

• Use a hair dryer, a heating pad or warm towels on the pipe.
• Never use a torch, an open flame or a kerosene heater.
• Stop and shut off the water at once if a leak appears.
• If the frozen part cannot be reached, leave the thaw to a plumber.

Why the damage often shows up during the thaw

While the ice holds, a split in the pipe is plugged by the ice itself. When temperatures rise and the ice melts, water runs out through the split under full pressure.

A thaw can arrive overnight or while the household is away, so a small crack can become a large leak before anyone notices. The weather warming up is the signal to check.

• Walls and ceilings below any pipe in an exterior wall.
• Cabinet floors under sinks on outside walls.
• Unheated entries and porches.
• The area around the main shutoff.

When the pipe has already split

A split pipe leaks as the ice melts, and the water can run inside a wall for some time before it shows. Stains, bubbling paint and the sound of running water behind a wall are signals.

Shut off the main, photograph the damage and reach a restoration crew. The extraction crew removes standing water, then the drying team opens wet walls and floors so the cavity can dry.

The sequence is laid out under frozen pipe water damage and burst pipe water damage, with water extraction covering the pumping stage.

Insulation, drywall and flooring below the split are the usual casualties, and they are the first materials checked.

• Standing water is extracted from floors and carpet.
• Wet insulation and drywall are cut out where water is trapped.
• Walls are dried with dehumidifiers and air movers and checked with moisture meters.
• A plumber repairs the pipe before the walls are closed up.

Two and three family houses: who to tell

Northern Roslindale has dense two and three family residences, and a split pipe in one unit can reach the unit below. The household where the pipe split should tell the other households at once so they can check ceilings and walls.

Sharing information early avoids a second loss from water that is hidden above a ceiling.

• Where the shutoff valve is.
• Photographs of the damage in every unit.
• A list of damaged belongings.
• The date and time the pipe was found to be split.

Before the next cold snap

A few habits lower the risk. The frozen pipe risk check helps spot weak points, and the Roslindale water damage pages cover local cleanup.

• Keep the heat on and set to a safe temperature when away.
• Open cabinet doors on outside walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
• Let a faucet drip during extreme cold.
• Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses before winter.