Only a trickle from the tap on a freezing morning? Suspect a frozen pipe. The fix: open that faucet, warm the pipe gently, and keep every flame away from it. Easy enough. But the part of the pipe that bursts isn't the part most people expect. The ice isn't what bursts it. Stick around for that one. Step 1. Find your main water shut-off valve and close it before you start. City water utilities advise it in case the pipe already cracked.

The Red Cross says keep water flowing. Step 2. Open the faucet on the frozen line and leave it open the whole time. Step 3. Open the cabinets under the sink and turn up the heat. Let warm air in. Step 4. Warm the frozen section gently. Hair dryer, electric heating pad, or towels soaked in hot water. Or a space heater, kept well away from anything flammable. And never leave it unattended. Step 5. Keep heating until full water pressure comes back.

Weak flow means there's still ice in there. Step 6. Once it's thawed, open the main valve slowly and check pipes and joints for leaks. The tempting shortcut: grab a blowtorch or a propane heater. Fastest way to thaw it, right? Wrong. The Red Cross says never use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or any open flame. Hair dryer, heating pad, hot towels, space heater. That's the whole toolkit.

Turning the heat down at night in a cold snap? Keep the thermostat on one setting, day and night. Here's the part nobody tells you. Water expands about 9% when it freezes solid. So the real danger is the water trapped between the ice and a closed faucet. Normal home pressure is about 40 psi. Behind the ice, it can climb to 25,000 to 40,000 psi, depending who you ask. And the pipe often splits at a weak spot, like a joint, not necessarily where the ice is.

That's a big reason the faucet stays open the entire time. It relieves that pressure. Can't find the frozen spot, can't reach it, or it simply won't thaw? Call a licensed plumber. Same goes if it still hasn't thawed after a few hours. Water supply lines in the garage? Keep the garage door closed. Leaving town during a cold spell? Leave the heat on, set no lower than 55°F. And tonight, let cold water drip from faucets on exposed pipes.

Leave the sink cabinets open too. Trickle at the tap? That's ice talking, and ice wants patience, not fire. Faucet open, gentle heat, wait for full pressure, then check every joint for leaks. Remember: the ice doesn't burst your pipe. The water trapped behind it does.