Frozen Pipe Repair in North Bay
Frozen pipe repair in North Bay is a business-hours service from Poly-B Plumbing, covering North Bay, Callander, Sturgeon Falls, Powassan and the surrounding communities. A frozen pipe is a supply line in which the water has turned to ice, stopping flow to a fixture and building pressure that can split the pipe. Poly-B locates the freeze with thermal imaging and pressure testing, thaws it with controlled heat rather than an open flame, replaces any split section in copper or PEX, and then insulates, reroutes or heat-traces the line so it stays open. Owner Paul Bosse is a Red Seal journeyman plumber in the trade since 2003. Call 705-345-6616.
Service hours
- Monday to Thursday7:00 am to 7:00 pm
- Friday7:00 am to 5:00 pm
- Saturday and SundayClosed
Emergency service is available during business hours only. Members of the $49-per-month plan get priority scheduling.
Is the pipe frozen, or already burst?
Turn on the tap. Nothing at all, or a trickle, from a fixture on an exterior wall or over a crawlspace in freezing weather means a freeze. Frost on the outside of an exposed pipe, or a section that is noticeably colder to the touch, confirms it. A banging or ticking sound as the house warms up can be ice moving. If you can see water, hear running water inside a wall, or the meter is spinning with every tap closed, the pipe has already split and it is a burst pipe repair.
Either way, the first move is the same: close the main shut-off so that when the ice lets go, a split does not flood the house. Then call 705-345-6616 during business hours.
What not to do while you wait
- No open flame. A propane torch on a pipe in a wall or joist bay starts house fires every winter in Ontario, and it can boil water inside the pipe and split it. Poly-B does not use torches to thaw and neither should you.
- Do not leave a space heater unattended against a wall or in a crawlspace.
- Do not force the tap. If the handle is frozen, leave it. Open a working tap elsewhere to relieve pressure.
- Safe steps: open the cabinet doors under a sink on an exterior wall, turn the heat up, and if you can see the pipe, a hair dryer on the section nearest the tap, working back toward the freeze, is fine.
Why pipes freeze in North Bay homes
North Bay winters regularly reach minus 20 and colder, and cold snaps below minus 30 are normal, not rare. The City of North Bay Engineering Design Guidelines (March 2021) require 1.8 m of cover on buried water services for frost protection, with services under 1.0 m of cover not permitted at all. That number is the City’s own measure of how deep frost goes here. Inside the house, nothing has that protection.
The freezes Poly-B repairs most:
| Where it froze | Why | What Poly-B does about it |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen or bathroom line on an exterior wall | Insulation on the cold side of the pipe instead of behind it, or none at all | Thaw, then reroute the line to an interior wall or insulate properly with the pipe on the warm side |
| Crawlspace or unheated basement corner | Vents left open, no heat, wind exposure | Thaw, insulate, and add self-regulating heat trace if the space cannot be heated |
| Outdoor hose bib and the line feeding it | Hose left on, or a bib that is not frost-free | Replace with a frost-free bib pitched to drain, plus an interior shut-off |
| Cottage or seasonal home on Lake Nipissing or Trout Lake | Heat turned down between visits, water not drained | Thaw and repair, then a shut-off and drain-down layout, or heat trace on the well line |
| Well line and pressure tank in a pump house or shallow trench | Line above frost depth, pump house unheated | Heat trace and insulation on the line; Poly-B is licensed for well work |
| Sump pump discharge line outside | Shallow or surface run freezes solid and the pump runs against it | Exterior check valve, freeze-protected discharge route or a heat line |
How Poly-B thaws a frozen pipe
Shut down and protect
Main valve closed, pressure relieved, so a hidden split does not flood the house when the ice lets go.
Locate the freeze
Thermal imaging shows the cold section through drywall; a pressure test confirms whether the pipe is intact. No opening every wall on a guess.
Thaw with controlled heat
Heat applied from the tap end back toward the freeze so meltwater has somewhere to go. No torches, no open flame.
Repair any split
Damaged sections cut out and replaced in copper or PEX, soldered, crimped or ProPress. No push-fit, no tape, no clamps.
Stop the next freeze
Insulate, reroute, or install heat trace depending on the cause. Winterization advice comes with every repair.
What frozen pipe repair costs in North Bay
Poly-B Plumbing quotes frozen pipe work flat-rate, in writing, before starting. The price depends on:
- Whether it split. A thaw with no damage is the shortest job on this page. A split behind a finished wall adds locating, one opening, and a section of new pipe.
- Access. An exposed basement line versus a crawlspace or a pump house in February.
- Prevention chosen. Insulation is cheap. Rerouting a line off an exterior wall or running heat trace to a well costs more once and ends the problem.
- How many lines. A cottage that froze usually has more than one.
Ask for the diagnostic price when you call. Members of the $49-per-month plan get priority scheduling during the cold snaps when every plumber in North Bay is booked.
Freeze prevention that works in this climate
| Measure | Where it belongs | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Pipe insulation, with the pipe on the warm side of the wall insulation | Any line in an exterior wall or unheated space | Slows heat loss; does not add heat. Fails in a long cold snap on its own |
| Self-regulating heat trace cable | Crawlspaces, well lines, pump houses, sump discharge | Needs power; check it every fall |
| Frost-free hose bib with interior shut-off | Every outdoor tap | Only works if the hose is disconnected |
| Rerouting the line to an interior wall | Kitchen sinks on the north wall of older homes | One-time cost, permanent fix |
| Drain-down valve layout | Cottages and seasonal homes | Has to be used every time you leave |
Licensing and code for frozen pipe work
Plumber (306A) is a compulsory trade in Ontario regulated by Skilled Trades Ontario. Replacing a split section and re-joining a supply line is certified work, and Poly-B’s owner holds Red Seal journeyman certification, licensed for plumbing, wells, septic and backflow prevention, with up to $5 million in liability insurance. Where a buried service line has frozen and needs to be exposed, Ontario One Call locates are required by law before digging.
Sources: City of North Bay Engineering Design Guidelines, March 2021; Skilled Trades Ontario, Plumber (306A); Ontario One Call.
What North Bay customers say
“Excellent customer service”TGunzSupreme, Google review, June 2025
“Always done great work and had them out to our houses more than one time.”Dave Melanson, Google review, June 2025
Where Poly-B repairs frozen pipes
Frozen pipe questions from North Bay homeowners
How do I know if my pipes are frozen?
A tap that gives nothing or a trickle in freezing weather, especially on an exterior wall, is the usual sign. Frost on an exposed pipe or a section that is much colder to the touch confirms it. Banging as the house warms can be ice moving. Close the main shut-off and call Poly-B Plumbing.
Can frozen pipes be thawed without cutting the wall?
Often, yes. Poly-B Plumbing uses thermal imaging to find the freeze and applies controlled heat from the tap end without opening the wall. If the pipe has split, one small opening at the split is needed for the repair.
What if the pipe already burst?
Poly-B shuts off the water, contains the leak and replaces the damaged section in copper or PEX the same visit. No patches or tape. See the burst pipe repair page for what to do in the first five minutes.
Can I stop my pipes freezing next winter?
Yes. Depending on the cause, Poly-B Plumbing insulates with the pipe on the warm side, reroutes the line off the exterior wall, installs self-regulating heat trace, or fits a frost-free hose bib with an interior shut-off. Advice on which is included with every repair.
Is it safe to thaw a pipe with a torch?
No. Open flame near framing, insulation or a joist bay is a fire risk, and it can boil the water inside the pipe and split it. Use a hair dryer on a visible section or leave it to Poly-B.
Frozen pipe in North Bay? Close the main and call
Monday to Thursday 7 am to 7 pm, Friday 7 am to 5 pm. Emergency calls are taken during those hours.
Call 705-345-6616 Request a free online quote
Poly-B Plumbing, 1107 Yellek Trail, North Bay, ON P1B 8G5.