As winter approaches, cold temperatures can cause pipes to freeze. If your toilet pipes are somewhere you can reach, check to see if they feel cold or if there's frost on the outside. This indicates that the pipe is frozen. If so, you can try defrosting it with a hair dryer, carefully blowing warm air onto the pipe near the toilet, or placing a space heater nearby. Wrapping the pipe in a heating pad, hot towel, or heating tape is another easy way to slowly melt ice.

Adding extra insulation near toilet pipes can help prevent pipes from freezing in the winter. Both foam insulation and wrapping for pipes can better protect pipes from cold temperatures. For pipes prone to freezing, heating cables connected to a power source and wrapped around the pipe is a good option.

Keeping your home's heat on during the winter can also help prevent pipes from freezing. Plumber's antifreeze can prepare your toilets and pipes for freezing temperatures when you plan to be away from your home for some time. Simply turn off the water to the toilet, flush the drain, and pour antifreeze into the empty cistern.