Use a hair dryer on a medium or low setting. Move it back and forth along the frozen section. Do not hold it in one spot for too long, especially on PVC pipes, which can warp or melt at temperatures as low as 140°F (60°C).
To unfreeze a drain pipe safely, you should gentle, consistent heat rather than sudden high temperatures
When you need a method that is safe, simple, and requires no electrical tools, hot towels are an excellent choice. This technique is particularly useful for thawing plastic pipes, which can be damaged by concentrated heat.
Replace the towels every 5 to 10 minutes as they cool down.
Pour half a cup of baking soda down the drain, followed by one cup of vinegar.
If you can access an outside cleanout plug, you can feed a garden hose down into the drain until it hits the ice obstruction. Hook the other end of the hose up to a hot water source (like a washing machine hookup) to blast hot water directly against the ice wall.
: Soak rags or towels in hot water, wring them out, and wrap them around the frozen section. Replace them every 5–10 minutes as they cool. Space Heaters
Before applying any heat, open the faucet connected to the frozen drain pipe. As the ice begins to melt, water needs a path to escape. Leaving the faucet open allows water to flow out rather than building up pressure inside the pipe, which is the primary cause of pipe bursts.
If you cannot find the freeze, if the pipe is inside a wall you can't heat, or if the DIY methods haven't worked after a few hours, call a plumber. They can use specialized equipment like (which send low-voltage current through metal pipes) or hydro jetters (which use high-pressure hot water to clear internal blockages).
Preventative maintenance is significantly cheaper than replacing burst plumbing lines.