Frozen pipe and outdoor faucet repair in Highwood, Saint Paul, MN 55119

Wind coming up off the river valley hits the bluff hard, and many Highwood homes have big windows and walkout lower levels facing that view. Supply lines in those exposed walls, in cantilevered kitchens or in rooms over a garage get the full blast. On a few nights in a row below about 20 degrees, a line that never froze before can stop flowing.

If a tap goes dry, open the cabinet doors and warm the room, but skip the torch or open flame. Call us and we'll thaw the line with controlled heat, find any split before the water comes back on, and then fix the cause. That may mean adding insulation, sealing a draft at the rim joist or rerouting the pipe.

With large yards, gardens and patios, Highwood homeowners use outdoor water a lot from spring through fall. Old style hose bibs hold water in the wall, and if a hose is left attached in October, that water freezes and splits the pipe inside. You often don't find out until the first warm day in April when water pours into the lower level.

We replace old bibs with frost-free sillcocks that shut off water inside the heated wall, and we pitch them so they drain. If you water gardens far from the house, we can talk about adding a second sillcock on another side. A simple fall routine, disconnecting hoses and shutting interior valves, does the rest.

Many Highwood homes have decks and patios that look out over the trees, and plenty of owners want a natural gas grill instead of swapping propane tanks. Others are adding a gas fireplace in the lower level or upgrading to a gas range. Each needs a properly sized line, a shutoff and a leak test.

We run gas lines from your meter or an existing branch, pull the permit and test before anything is lit. If you ever smell gas, leave the house first and call Xcel Energy or 911 from outside, then call us. For new lines or repairs, call (651) 215-2087 and we'll plan the route with you.