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Boise, Idaho

Burst pipe in Boise? Do this, in order.

Free service. Call now and we'll connect you with a local restoration company. How it works

  1. 1Shut the water off at the main
  2. 2Check the power first
  3. 3Photograph every wet room
  4. 4Call for help
Call (208) 994-8334

Every fact on this page links to its source. Last reviewed October 24, 2026.Red Cross NOAA Triple-I CDC Idaho Dept. of Insurance EPA Ada County. See all 8 sources

A restoration technician kneels at an open kitchen sink cabinet and checks its wet floor with a moisture meter, snow on the roof next door.

How this works

What happens when you call

It is free to call, and calling commits you to nothing.

  1. A man on the phone by a snowy window, towels lined up along a wet wall behind him.
    1

    You call

    Tell them what happened and where. Have the address ready.

  2. 2

    We connect you

    A call network puts you through to an independent local restoration company that serves Boise and is taking calls.

  3. A technician wearing a headlamp lies in a crawl space, checking a dripping pipe with torn insulation.
    3

    They assess and quote

    If you want a visit, they look at the damage and quote their own price. Ask for it in writing.

We are a free referral service, not a contractor. The company that answers sets its own prices. How this service works

Boise's own numbers

Four months a year, the normal night is below freezing.

That is when Boise pipes split. The Red Cross says pipes on exterior walls and in unheated spaces are the vulnerable ones.1

4 months

November to February, Boise's normal overnight low sits below freezing. January averages 25.5°F.2

25.5°
29°
31.7°
25.4°
NOAA NCEI monthly climate normals (overnight low), 1991 to 2020, station USW00024131. Dashed line: 32°F. These are averages; single nights run colder.2
Normal overnight low by month, Boise Air Terminal, 1991 to 2020
January25.5 °F
February29 °F
March34.9 °F
April39.6 °F
May47.5 °F
June54.1 °F
July61.9 °F
August60.8 °F
September52.6 °F
October41.5 °F
November31.7 °F
December25.4 °F

  • Keep the heat steady

    Same thermostat setting day and night; no lower than 55°F if you are away.1

  • Open the cabinet doors

    Let warmer air reach the plumbing under sinks on outside walls.1

  • Let it drip

    In very cold weather, let cold water drip from a faucet served by exposed pipes.1

The Boise frozen-pipe guide

The first hour

Six steps. Stop at any point that stops being safe.

  1. 01
    First

    Shut the water off at the main

    Stop the water before anything else. Know where the main shutoff is.3

  2. 02
    Before you walk in

    Check the electricity

    Power off only from a dry spot. If you would have to step into water, call an electrician.4

  3. 03
    Before you clean

    Document it

    Photos and video of every wet room. Keep damaged items for the adjuster.5,6

  4. 04
    Today

    Report it to your insurer

    Report it as soon as you know. No permanent repairs before they inspect.5

  5. 05
    Hours 1 to 48

    Get air moving

    Fans and dehumidifiers, fans blowing out. Dry within 24 to 48 hours.4,7

  6. 06
    Any time

    Know where DIY ends

    Sewage or river water is a professional job.7,4

The full first hour, with what not to do

Where water gets in

Where a Boise house lets water in

Five weak points on a freezing night. The lettered markers match the notes.

Cross-section of a Boise house on a crawl space on a freezing night: snow and an ice dam on the roof, a frozen pipe in the kitchen's exterior wall, an outside faucet, and the main shutoff where the water service enters through the foundation. ABCDE
  1. AMain shutoff. Often where the service enters through the foundation.1
  2. BExterior-wall pipes. Pipes on outside walls and in cabinets freeze first.1
  3. COutside faucet. Turn it off and drain it before winter.3
  4. DCrawl space. Unheated spaces leave pipes exposed to the cold.1
  5. EIce dam. Ice-dam damage is typically covered by homeowners policies.3

Guides for Boise homes

Pick the one that matches what happened

Questions

What Boise homeowners ask

Who actually answers this phone number?

An independent local restoration company, reached through our call-tracking line. Not us. We do not answer calls, set prices, or control who is available or how fast they arrive.

What does it cost to call?

Nothing. The company that answers sets its own prices, so ask for a written estimate before you agree to anything.

My pipe froze but has not burst. What do I do?

Keep the faucet open, apply gentle heat such as a hair dryer, heating pad or hot-water towels, never an open flame, and call a licensed plumber if you cannot find, reach or thaw the frozen section.1

Does insurance cover a burst pipe? What about river water?

Burst pipes are typically covered.3 River water is flood, and Idaho's insurance department says most policies will not cover flood unless you bought that coverage separately.5

When is the Boise River most likely to run high?

Ada County says reservoir releases are generally increased between April 1 and July 1 to make room for spring runoff.8

All questions

A couple holding their toddler smile in the kitchen as a fan dries the wood floor, snow outside.

Want a local company to take a look?

Call and an independent Treasure Valley restoration company answers. Calling is free and commits you to nothing.

Call (208) 994-8334

Boise Water Damage Advice is a free referral and information service, not a contractor. Calls are answered by independent local restoration companies through a pay-per-call network, and we may be paid when a call qualifies. We do not do the work and do not set prices or availability. How it works

Sources

Each numbered note on this page points here. We read every page on October 24, 2026. Where sources disagree we say so; where we could not find a source we left the claim out. We are not affiliated with any of these organizations.

  1. American Red Cross, Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes. Copyright 2026. www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/winter-storm…
  2. NOAA NCEI, U.S. Monthly Climate Normals 1991-2020, Boise Air Terminal (station USW00024131), minimum temperature. 1991-2020 normals. www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00…
  3. Triple-I (Insurance Information Institute), How to protect your home from water damage. No date shown (page copyright 2026). www.iii.org/article/how-to-protect-your-home-from-water-damage
  4. CDC, Safety Guidelines: Reentering Your Flooded Home. Page updated August 24, 2026. www.cdc.gov/floods/safety/reentering-your-flooded-home-safety.html
  5. Idaho Department of Insurance, Post-Disaster Claims Guide. PDF last modified July 26, 2022. doi.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/publication-post-disaster-claims-guide.pdf
  6. Triple-I (Insurance Information Institute), Settling insurance claims after a disaster. No date shown (page copyright 2026). www.iii.org/article/settling-insurance-claims-after-a-disaster
  7. U.S. EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home. Page updated February 18, 2026. www.epa.gov/mold/brief-guide-mold-moisture-and-your-home
  8. Ada County Emergency Management & Community Resilience, 2019 Frequently Asked Questions About Boise River Flooding. 2019 (figures are from that year). adacounty.id.gov/emergencymanagement/wp-content/uploads/sites/39/Boise-River-FAQ-2019-1.pd…
Call (208) 994-8334Free service. We'll connect you with a local restoration company. How it works