A burst pipe costs thousands. Prevention costs almost nothing. Here's what to do before the temperature drops.
Every year we get emergency calls in January and February that we could have prevented in October and November. Frozen pipes are one of the most preventable plumbing disasters — but only if you act before the cold snap, not during.
The first rule: know where your pipes run. Any water line in an exterior wall, an unheated crawl space, an attic, or a garage is at risk. Any hose bib on an exterior wall is at risk unless it's a frost-free model — and even those fail if a hose is left attached over winter.
Insulation is the cheapest fix. Foam pipe insulation for accessible runs, spray foam where pipes pass through cold spaces, and closed-cell insulation for anything exposed to serious cold. On problem runs that keep freezing, heat trace cable is inexpensive and effective.
During a cold snap, two more habits help. First, open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so household heat can reach the pipes. Second, if temperatures are truly extreme, let the coldest faucet run at a pencil-thin trickle overnight — moving water resists freezing.
Before the first hard freeze, disconnect and drain garden hoses, shut interior valves feeding exterior spigots (and drain the line), and confirm you know where your main shutoff is. If a pipe does freeze and burst, the difference between a 30-second shutoff and a 20-minute shutoff is thousands of dollars.
And if you're leaving town: never fully shut off the heat. Setting the thermostat to 55°F while you're away costs a few dollars a day and prevents the disaster that can be waiting for you at home.