North Texas doesn't freeze often, which is exactly why so many homes aren't ready when it does. The February 2021 winter storm showed how much damage a few days of hard freeze can do to homes built for heat.
Here's our checklist.
Before the freeze
- Find your main water shutoff and make sure it works. If a pipe bursts, this is the first thing you need. Practice turning it off now.
- Disconnect garden hoses from every outside faucet.
- Cover outside faucets with insulated covers.
- Insulate exposed pipes in the attic, garage, and exterior walls with foam pipe insulation.
- Protect your irrigation backflow preventer. These are above ground and freeze easily. Insulate or wrap it, and follow your sprinkler system's winterizing steps.
- Know where your water heater and gas shutoffs are.
During the freeze
- Drip faucets on exterior walls, both hot and cold, a slow steady drip.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
- Keep the heat on, even if you're leaving town.
- Keep garage doors closed if pipes run through the garage.
If a pipe freezes
- Turn off the water to that area or the whole house if you're unsure
- Open the faucet so melting water can escape
- Warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or space heater kept at a safe distance
- Never use an open flame
If a pipe bursts
Shut off the main water right away, then call a plumber. See our post on what to do when a pipe bursts.