06/03/2026
Frozen Pipe Mystery ❄️
Here’s an interesting job from early February when we were seeing -20°C temperatures regularly.
A client called in a panic — the water line to their basement shower had frozen.
After a bit of investigating I noticed a slight discoloration on the ceiling above the shower and that area felt very cold to the touch. So I opened it up to take a look.
Inside I found the frozen pipe. Luckily it was PEX and hadn’t cracked.
But why was it so cold? 🥶
When I stuck my head into the opening I could see daylight through the exterior wall. I was looking straight out the bathroom fan vent.
The problem? There was no duct connecting the fan to the exterior vent.
The entire joist cavity was getting blasted with arctic air, which froze the pipe.
The fix:
• Installed a new Panasonic bathroom fan
• Properly ducted it to the exterior vent
• Added a timer switch so the fan runs long enough to remove moisture
Unfortunately my ADHD kicked in and I forgot to take finished photos.
The good news — the pipe didn’t burst and the bathroom is now vented properly to prevent mold and moisture issues.
This job also reminded me that during a home inspection, it’s not enough to see a fan running and find the exterior vent. You also need to confirm they’re actually connected.
Sometimes that’s easier said than done… an inspection camera might be the next tool in the kit.