Winter risk

Frozen and burst pipes in Edmonton condominiums: causes, prevention and what to do

Edmonton winters can expose weak points in a building’s plumbing, such as lines near outside walls, the place where the water line enters the building and the meter room. A frozen pipe is not always a burst pipe. This guide explains how freeze bursts happen, where the risk sits in a multi-unit building, what public guidance advises and what to do when a line freezes.

By ProShield Leak Detection Inc. · Updated 2026-09-30

Illustrative building representative making a phone call from a corridor — Illustration: For active water, move to safety and call with the location and what you can observe.

University of Illinois research found that pipes burst because ice blocks the line and pressure builds, not because ice pushes on the wall.

University of Illinois research found that the commonly held view that ice growth simply pushes against pipe walls is not correct. Pipes burst when freezing temperatures create ice blockages in water pipes and further ice growth then applies dangerously high pressure to a confined volume of water.

The same research says that placing water pipes in conditioned, heated spaces remains the principal strategy for preventing bursting. Every prevention step below is a way of keeping the pipe warm, or of keeping the trapped water from being confined.

How cold Edmonton gets.

Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991 to 2020 climate normals give two Edmonton stations, EDMONTON (CITY) and EDMONTON (AIRPORT). The airport is colder, so the station matters.

Edmonton winter temperatures, Environment and Climate Change Canada climate normals 1991 to 2020
Station	January mean daily temperature	Days in January with a minimum below -20 °C	Days per year with a minimum below -20 °C
EDMONTON (CITY)	-10.3 °C	8.9	23.8
EDMONTON (AIRPORT)	-12.3 °C	11.6	38.4

Where the risk sits in a multi-unit building.

Freeze risk sits where pipe is in a cold space or near a cold surface and heat does not reach it.

Exterior walls and drafty corners. The Insurance Bureau of Canada advises considering pipe insulation, especially for lines near outside walls, and preventing drafts and sealing openings.
Where the water line enters the building. EPCOR advises keeping heat at normal levels to avoid cold spots, especially where the water line enters, and wrapping water lines near outer walls or doors with insulation.
The meter room. EPCOR’s service guidelines say a building must be adequately heated to prevent damage to the water meter caused by freezing.
Vacant suites. The Insurance Bureau of Canada advises shutting off the water supply and draining the lines of a vacant home. The corporation should know which units are empty and who can enter. See vacant suite leak in an Edmonton winter.
Cabinets on exterior walls, where lines sit near outside walls. Ask the building’s engineer whether they need attention in deep cold.
Unheated spaces such as parkades and corridors, and hose bibs. A 1996 University of Illinois bulletin said placing water pipes in conditioned, heated spaces remained the principal strategy for preventing bursting, so pipe in unheated space deserves particular attention. See hose bib leak in winter.

Signs that a line is frozen.

EPCOR says that if all faucets are turned on and toilets flushed and water is not flowing, with no known water main break in the area, it is likely the service line is frozen. In a multi-unit building, a suite without water while the neighbours have it points to a branch or fixture line instead, and the manager should be told either way.

What to do when a line freezes.

Act early, and avoid the mistakes that turn a frozen pipe into a burst one.

Act quickly. EPCOR says freezing extends further along the line over time, making thawing harder, and the longer a pipe stays frozen the more likely it is to burst.
Never use an open flame. EPCOR says it is dangerous and can damage the pipes; gentle heat from a hair dryer, space heater or heat lamp can warm a narrow pipe. In a building, leave thawing of shared lines to the manager and a qualified trade.
In a multi-residential building, EPCOR says residents should contact their building manager to shut off water to their property. Know where the suite shutoff and the building shutoff are.
If a line has split, treat it as active water. Call, isolate the line if that is safe, and do not wait for a thaw to see if it seals. See burst pipe in a condo.

Prevention for boards and managers.

EPCOR’s pages give two different tips. One says to turn on taps regularly, because even a slow drip of hot or cold water can help prevent freezing. Another EPCOR page says to protect water lines from freezing by installing shutoff valves rather than running water continuously. A building should follow its engineer’s advice on which applies.

For a vacant home the Insurance Bureau of Canada advises shutting off the water supply and draining the lines. In a multi-unit building a suite’s shutoff, its neighbours and any shared heating loop mean the building’s own procedure applies. Ask the building’s engineer whether heat tape suits a known exposed run, and follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions. Leak sensors and automatic shutoff are designed to limit the damage when a line does fail. See leak sensors and automatic shutoff planning.

Document the freeze.

Record the time, the outdoor temperature, which line froze or split, the state of the heat in that area, and photographs taken before repairs. The Insurance Bureau of Canada says insurance is meant to cover sudden and accidental loss or damage, and Alberta’s Condominium Property Regulation requires a corporation to insure against listed perils including the sudden and accidental escape of water from a plumbing, heating, sprinkler or air conditioning system. What a particular policy covers depends on its wording, so tell the broker early. See documenting condo water damage for insurance.

Where ProShield fits.

For active water, call for emergency water response. ProShield does not repair or thaw pipes. After the water is controlled, it can document where the water travelled and help a building plan protection. Pinholes are a different problem from freezing: see pinhole leaks in copper pipes.

Sources and further reading

Questions people ask

Why do pipes burst when they freeze?

University of Illinois research found that pipes burst when freezing creates ice blockages and further ice growth then applies dangerously high pressure to a confined volume of water, rather than because ice simply pushes on the pipe wall.

How cold does Edmonton get in winter?

Environment and Climate Change Canada’s 1991 to 2020 normals give a January mean daily temperature of -10.3 °C for the EDMONTON (CITY) station and -12.3 °C for EDMONTON (AIRPORT). The city station averages 23.8 days a year with a minimum below -20 °C, and the airport station 38.4.

Should we leave taps dripping in cold weather?

One EPCOR page says even a slow drip can help prevent freezing, but another EPCOR page says to install shutoff valves rather than running water continuously. Follow the building’s engineer.

Can a frozen pipe be thawed with a torch?

No. EPCOR says never to use an open flame because it is dangerous and can damage the pipes.

Who shuts off the water in a condominium?

EPCOR says residents in multi-residential units should contact their building manager to shut off water to their property.

Does heat tape solve freezing?

Ask the building’s engineer whether heat tape suits a known exposed run, and follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

Are pinholes a freeze problem?

Usually not. A pinhole leak is the final breakthrough of progressive pitting corrosion, whereas a freeze burst happens when ice blocks the line and pressure builds in a confined pipe.