- Mark Higgins
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
January in the Kansas City area has a way of sneaking up on a home. One week feels manageable, and the next you wake up to a hard freeze, bitter wind, and a house that suddenly sounds different. You might hear pipes ticking behind the walls, a drain that used to clear quickly starts taking its time, or you catch a faint odor you cannot quite place. Winter is when plumbing problems stop being theoretical. The season adds stress to every part of your system, from supply lines to drains to the underground sewer line that carries everything away. If there is a weak point anywhere, January is often when it shows itself.
At Higgins Sewer & Drain Cleaning, winter calls frequently start with the same kind of story. A homeowner noticed something subtle back in the fall, but life was busy, and it did not feel urgent. Then the temperature dropped, the house was closed up tight, everyone spent more time indoors, and the plumbing went from “a little weird” to “we need help today.” The truth is that many January plumbing problems are preventable, but prevention starts with recognizing what winter does to a home and why little warning signs matter more this time of year.
The first big winter risk is frozen pipes, and it is not just a problem for older houses. Any home can have vulnerable plumbing if a section of pipe runs near an exterior wall, sits above a crawl space, passes through a garage, or hides in a cabinet that catches drafts. When water freezes, it expands. That expansion increases pressure inside the pipe and at fittings, which is why freezing can lead to cracks or breaks. What makes this especially frustrating is that a frozen pipe does not always announce itself with a dramatic event. Sometimes it begins as reduced water flow at one faucet, or a bathroom that suddenly has weak pressure. Other times, everything seems fine until a warm-up arrives and the ice releases. That is when the real damage appears, because water resumes moving and can escape through a split you did not know existed.
Kansas City weather also creates another challenge that people often underestimate. It is not only the lowest temperature that matters, but the rapid swings. A day of melting followed by a sharp overnight freeze can push systems back and forth, and that expansion and contraction affects plumbing materials, seals, and joints. Pipes and fittings do not like repeated stress cycles. If there is already a small weakness, winter can turn it into a real failure. Even the way you heat your home can play a role. Rooms you rarely use might run colder, and if plumbing is nearby, that temperature difference matters.
Another January issue that catches homeowners off guard is slow drains that suddenly feel worse. A drain that is “kind of slow sometimes” in October can become consistently slow in January. Part of that is simply increased demand. People cook more, wash more dishes, do more laundry, and spend more time using bathrooms and showers because everyone is home more. That extra use does not create the problem from scratch, but it exposes buildup that has been forming along the inside of the pipe. In winter, grease and soap residue tend to harden faster and cling more stubbornly. Even without thinking about chemistry, you can see it in daily life. Things that are liquid at warm temperatures become thicker in the cold. Drain lines are no different, and the result is that small restrictions turn into noticeable slowdowns.
This is also why January is a common month for repeat clogs. If a sink or tub clogs, clears, and then clogs again, it often indicates that the blockage is not just at the fixture. It may be further down the line, where buildup narrows the pipe enough that normal use tips it into a full blockage. People naturally try to manage it by using the drain less or by clearing it repeatedly, but the system stays vulnerable until the underlying restriction is removed. Winter does not forgive “almost working” drains, because the margin for error is smaller when conditions are harsh and usage is high.
Then there is the part of the plumbing system most homeowners never see: the sewer line. January can be tough on underground pipes in the Kansas City region because the ground freezes and shifts. Soil expands when it freezes and contracts as it thaws, and that movement can place stress on sewer lines. Homes with older sewer materials are often more susceptible, but even newer lines can be affected if there are existing imperfections or if the surrounding soil is prone to movement. If a pipe has a joint that is slightly misaligned or a tiny crack, winter conditions can worsen it. Once that happens, you can see slow drains throughout the home, gurgling from fixtures, or in more serious cases, water backing up at the lowest drains.
The tricky part about sewer issues is that they often start quietly. A little gurgle after the toilet flushes. A shower that takes longer to drain. An odor that comes and goes. In January, those are not symptoms to ignore, because the season makes it easier for a developing sewer problem to become a full disruption. When a sewer line is restricted and the household keeps using water normally, the system can eventually reach a point where it cannot move wastewater away fast enough. In many homes, the first visible sign is at a basement floor drain or a lower-level shower, because those are low points in the system. That is why winter is not the time to assume you will “keep an eye on it for now.”
One reason these problems can feel more intense in January is that your home environment changes. Windows are closed. Airflow is reduced. Odors that might dissipate in spring linger longer. If there is a sewer odor issue, you are more likely to notice it now. That is a good thing, because it gives you a chance to address a developing problem before it becomes a mess. The same is true for drain noises. When the home is quiet and everyone is inside, you notice gurgling and slow draining that you might have missed during warmer months.
If you are wondering what a responsible homeowner should do with all of this information, the answer is not to panic. It is to pay attention to patterns. A single slow drain can be a localized issue. Multiple slow drains at the same time suggest something deeper. A single gurgle one time might be nothing. Repeated gurgling after flushing or draining suggests airflow and drainage are being disrupted. A one-off smell after a rarely used drain might be a dry trap. A persistent odor can be a sign of sewer line trouble. January is the month where trends matter.
It also helps to think in terms of prevention through habits. Winter drain problems often start with what goes down the line. Grease is the classic example because it goes down warm and seems harmless, then cools and clings to the pipe. Food scraps, heavy soap residue, and products that do not break down easily can contribute to buildup that becomes far more noticeable in winter. The goal is not perfection, but reducing the kind of accumulation that turns January into a surprise emergency. When the plumbing system is already carrying a little extra stress from temperature changes, giving your drains fewer challenges matters.
On the supply side, keeping vulnerable areas warmer is a real advantage. It is why opening a cabinet door under a sink can help during hard freezes. It is also why a room that stays significantly colder than the rest of the house is worth noticing. If you have plumbing on an exterior wall in that room, the risk is higher. If you have a crawl space, ensuring it is not exposed to deep drafts can reduce freezing risks. Many homeowners only think of frozen pipes after the fact, but the best time to think about them is before the coldest nights arrive.
Finally, it is worth saying plainly that January problems do not usually improve with time. If you have slow drains or recurring clogs right now, they are likely to get worse with continued use. If you have a sewer odor and it is not clearly tied to a dry drain trap, it deserves attention. If you have a history of sewer trouble, winter is when you want to be proactive. Addressing issues early tends to prevent the “everything at once” scenario where a cold snap, a busy household, and a developing blockage collide.
Kansas City winters are hard on homes, but they do not have to be hard on you. When homeowners recognize winter plumbing patterns early, they can protect their property and avoid the most disruptive outcomes. Higgins Sewer & Drain Cleaning is here for the moments when something feels off and you want clarity before it becomes urgent.
