prevention
Texas Freeze Guide: Preventing Burst Pipes
Updated 2026-10-13
Short answer
Pipes burst during Texas freezes because homes built for heat have exposed supply lines in attics, garages, and exterior walls — and many homeowners never drip faucets or open cabinet doors because hard freezes feel rare. Before a freeze, insulate exposed pipes, know where your main shutoff is, and during the event keep thermostats steady and let faucets drip on vulnerable lines. If a pipe bursts, shut off the water immediately and call a restoration contractor.
Why Texas homes are especially vulnerable
Much of Houston's housing stock was built for heat, not cold. Supply lines run through unconditioned attics, garages, and exterior walls where they sit inches from freezing air. In northern climates, plumbing lives deeper inside the thermal envelope; in Houston it often does not.
The danger starts when temperatures hold below freezing for several hours — not just a brief overnight dip. Pipes do not burst the moment water freezes; they burst when expanding ice raises pressure between the ice blockage and a closed faucet or valve, usually on the downstream side of the frozen section.
The February 2021 freeze proved how fast this scales. Thousands of Houston-area homes suffered burst pipes in a single event, and the water damage from one burst supply line can flood multiple rooms before anyone notices. Prevention is dramatically cheaper than restoration.
Before the freeze: protect your pipes
Find your main water shutoff now, before any freeze warning — and make sure everyone in the household knows where it is and that it turns. A shutoff you cannot find in a panic is the same as no shutoff.
Insulate exposed supply lines in attics, garages, crawlspaces, and along exterior walls with foam pipe sleeves, which are inexpensive and easy to install. Seal gaps around exterior wall penetrations where cold air reaches pipes, and disconnect garden hoses so trapped water cannot freeze back into the spigot.
If you have pipes in an unheated garage, consider keeping the garage door closed during freezes and opening the door between the garage and the heated house so warm air circulates. A few dollars of foam insulation and an afternoon of work prevent the most common burst-pipe scenarios.
- Locate and test the main water shutoff before any warning
- Insulate exposed pipes in attics, garages, and crawlspaces
- Seal exterior wall gaps that let cold air reach supply lines
- Disconnect garden hoses so water cannot freeze back into spigots
During the freeze: what to do each night
Keep the thermostat at a steady temperature day and night — resist the urge to lower it at bedtime during a freeze. The small heating cost is nothing compared to a burst pipe.
Let faucets on vulnerable lines drip slowly, especially those on exterior walls. Moving water freezes far less readily than still water, and the drip relieves pressure if ice does form. Both hot and cold lines on exterior walls deserve attention.
Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so heated air reaches the pipes. If you will be away during a freeze, do not turn the heat off — leave it set in the mid-60s at minimum, and have someone check the house if temperatures will stay below freezing for more than a day.
- Hold a steady thermostat setting — do not lower it at night
- Drip faucets on exterior-wall lines, hot and cold
- Open under-sink cabinets on exterior walls
- If traveling, leave heat on and have someone check the house
If a pipe bursts anyway
Shut off the main water valve immediately — this is the single most important action and every minute of delay adds water to the house. Then switch off power to any affected areas at the breaker if water is near outlets, appliances, or the panel area.
Open faucets to drain the remaining water in the lines and relieve pressure. Move valuables out of the water, and photograph the damage and the burst pipe before cleanup begins — your insurer will want this record.
Then call a restoration contractor. BayouDry connects you with independent local restoration contractors who handle burst-pipe water damage: extraction, structural drying, and repair of the affected areas. A plumber fixes the pipe; the restoration contractor fixes the damage the water caused. You will likely need both, and your contractor can tell you which materials are salvageable and which must go.
After the thaw: check before you relax
Pipes can crack during the freeze and only start leaking when the ice thaws and water flows again. After temperatures rise, walk the house and check under every sink, behind the washing machine, around the water heater, and in the attic for drips, damp spots, or the sound of running water when nothing is on.
Watch your water meter: if the dial moves when all fixtures are off, water is going somewhere it should not. That is the moment to call a plumber — and if you find moisture in walls or ceilings, a restoration contractor with moisture meters to map how far it spread.
Do not assume a small drip will stay small. The freeze created the damage; the thaw reveals it. Catching a cracked line in the first day keeps the job in the drying range instead of the mold-remediation range.
Common questions
Exposed and uninsulated pipes can start freezing when temperatures hold in the mid-20s for several hours, and risk rises sharply below 20 degrees. The key factor is duration — a brief dip to freezing is far less dangerous than an overnight stretch well below it.
Focus on faucets served by lines on exterior walls or in unconditioned spaces — those are the vulnerable ones. A slow drip on both hot and cold sides of each vulnerable line is enough. Dripping every faucet in the house wastes water without adding protection.
Burst pipes from freezing are typically covered as sudden, accidental water damage — but carriers expect you to have taken reasonable precautions, and some policies have specific language about maintaining heat. Document the damage, report promptly, and read our insurance guide for how to document the claim.