Drip your faucets, open those cabinet doors or risk the consequences of the bitter cold

Below-freezing temperatures are expected to arrive in North Texas tonight. With the extreme cold comes a higher risk of frozen pipes, which can burst, leaving property owners with significant damage and a hefty plumbing bill.

Pipes most at risk are in unheated interior spaces like attics and garages, but even pipes in cabinets or exterior walls can freeze. Here’s how to prepare and protect the pipes throughout your home against the bitter cold and hard freezes of the wintertime.

Preparing pipes before the freeze

Pipes that burst in the winter are a result of water freezing and expanding inside the pipe, which can put pressure on the surrounding pipe material, causing it to break or crack.

According to the city of Dallas and local plumbing experts, here’s what you can do to prepare your pipes before a freeze settles in:

• Insulate or wrap pipes located in unheated areas of your home, such as the basement, attic or crawl spaces. This helps prevent them from freezing and reduces the risk of burst pipes.
• Seal any cracks or gaps in your home’s exterior walls to prevent cold air from reaching your pipes. This is especially important for pipes located near outer walls.
• Drain and remove garden hoses from outside faucets. Insulate outdoor faucets with hard foam covers or by wrapping them with cloth.
• For a pier and beam foundation, cover the vents around the foundation.
• Familiarize yourself with where your private water cut-off valves are located and how to operate them.

The city recommends that if your home will be unoccupied for several days to turn off water at your private valve, because if a freeze happens while you’re away, you could come back to a flooded home.

Protecting pipes during a freeze

Now that your pipes are freeze ready, here’s additional ways to keep them protected while below-freezing temperatures persist.

The city and local plumbing experts recommend:

• Let hot and cold water drip slowly from inside faucets during a hard freeze. The consistent flow of water can help prevent the pipes from freezing.
• Keep cabinet doors open for pipes located under sinks. This will allow the warm air from inside your home to circulate around them.
• Keep your home’s temperature consistent even when you’re away. Avoid drastically turning the thermostat down during the night or when you’re not at home.

More information on winter preparedness:

• Everything you need to know about frozen, burst pipes
• Burst pipes could bring a $10,000 repair bill as winter freeze approaches North Texas
• Extra food, booties and fresh water: How to keep pets warm during extreme cold
• Here’s what you should keep in your car to prepare for winter weather
• How to prepare your North Texas home, yard for impending freezing winter temperatures

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