Plumbing Tips & Guides
Plain-English guides for Naugatuck homeowners — what to do when a pipe bursts, how insurance treats it, and how to keep the next freeze from becoming an emergency.
From the field
What We'd Tell You on the Phone, Written Down
These guides cover the questions Naugatuck homeowners actually ask — in an emergency and in the quiet weeks of October when there's still time to prepare. Written from the work we do on burst pipe repair in Naugatuck every winter: no hype, no filler, just the practical version.
Start With Prevention, Bookmark the Rest
If you're reading this in the fall, start with the freeze-prevention checklist and the faucet-dripping guide — those are the October jobs that pay off in January. The insurance guide is worth reading before you ever need it, because the documentation habits it describes only work if you know them in advance. And the emergency guides — what to do when a pipe bursts, how to thaw a frozen line — are the ones to bookmark now and open in a panic later. When any of these situations turns into a real problem at your house, one call gets a plumber on the way: (475) 323-1857.
What to Do First When a Pipe Bursts
Water is pouring and the clock is running. The six steps that matter in the first ten minutes — shutoff, draining, electrical safety, and documentation.
Read the guideDoes Homeowners Insurance Cover a Burst Pipe?
Sudden vs. gradual, the unheated-home exclusion, and the documentation that makes or breaks a claim. General guidance — not insurance or legal advice.
Read the guideHow to Keep Pipes From Freezing in Winter
Insulation, thermostat strategy, cabinet doors, dripping faucets, heat cable — the full prevention checklist before December arrives.
Read the guideCan I Fix a Burst Pipe Myself?
Which temporary patches actually hold, when DIY is reasonable, and when a proper cut-and-replace (and possibly a permit) is the only honest answer.
Read the guidePEX vs. Copper: Which Handles Freezing Better?
Flexibility vs. rigidity, the fitting weak point nobody mentions, and what the material choice means for Naugatuck's older homes.
Read the guideShould I Let Faucets Drip During a Freeze?
Why moving water resists freezing, which faucets to drip, how much of a drip — and what dripping can't do on its own.
Read the guideHow to Thaw a Frozen Pipe Safely
A frozen pipe that hasn't burst can usually be saved. Heat gun or hot towels, faucet open, working back from the tap — and never an open flame.
Read the guide
Reading About a Problem You're Having Right Now?
Guides are good. A plumber at your door is better. Call FlowFix — we'll stop the leak, fix the pipe, and get your house back to normal.