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You should leave the water dripping when temperatures are below 20 degrees for three hours or longer or your power goes out in the winter. Leave the water dripping until temperatures are consistently above 20 degrees and you’ve checked for frozen pipes. With water movement in your pipes, ice is less likely to form, and your pipes are less likely to burst. The drip relieves pressure, preventing burst and leaking pipes.

Draining is the process of removing sediment buildup that has accumulated at the bottom of your hot water heater’s tank. Flushing is a more elaborate process that involves running fresh water through the tank to clean the inside thoroughly. You should at least drain your hot water heater once per year and flush it every other year—better yet, alternate between draining and flushing every six months.

Depending on the severity of the freeze and the method used, thawing frozen underground pipes can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours. Applying heat directly to the pipe using heat tape, infrared lamps, or hot water jetting can speed up the process. However, patience and careful monitoring are key to avoiding pipe damage.

Different plumbing systems may sound different when a pipe is about to burst, so sounds alone are not a definitive indication of a burst pipe. However, dripping sounds indicate a leaking pipe, and there’s a thin line between a small leak and a bursting overflow. Metallic sounds like clanging and rattling are common when a pipe bursts, though they can also indicate a normally functioning hot water system.