The February 2021 freeze taught Texas a hard lesson: our homes, our plumbing, and our habits are built for 100-degree summers, not single-digit nights. Pipes in attics, exterior walls, and garages that survive every summer can freeze and burst in one bad night. The good news is that the most effective protections are simple and cheap.
Why are Texas homes so vulnerable to frozen pipes?
In colder states, plumbing is routinely installed deep inside insulated walls and below the frost line. In North Texas, water lines commonly run through attics, along exterior walls, and through unheated garages, because for most of the year that is perfectly fine. It becomes a problem only during the handful of hard freezes we get each decade.
That rarity is itself the risk. Homeowners do not think about freeze protection because they almost never need it, and when a freeze arrives, there is no habit to fall back on. A pipe that has never frozen in ten years can burst on the one night the temperature drops into the teens with wind.
Which pipes should I insulate before a freeze?
Walk your home and garage and look for water lines in unheated spaces. The priority list:
- Pipes in the attic, especially those running near the eaves
- Pipes along exterior walls, in the garage, or in a crawl space
- Outdoor hose bibs and any exposed pipe on the outside of the house
- Pipes to outbuildings, pool equipment, or irrigation backflow preventers
Foam pipe insulation sleeves from a hardware store are inexpensive and slide over most pipes in minutes. For hose bibs, insulated covers that fit over the faucet are cheap and effective. Pay special attention to any pipe you can see or feel in the attic; attic pipes are the most common freeze victims in Texas homes.
Where is my main water shutoff, and why does it matter?
If a pipe bursts, the first thing you do is stop the water. Every minute of flow is more flooding. Find your main shutoff valve now, before you need it, and make sure everyone in the household knows where it is.
In most Flower Mound homes, the main shutoff is one of these:
- A valve on the water line where it enters the house, often in the garage
- A valve in the ground box near the water meter by the street (you may need a meter key)
- A valve on an exterior wall near the hose bib
Test it once: turn it off, confirm the water stops at a faucet, then turn it back on. A valve that has not been touched in years can seize. If it will not budge, have a plumber free it or replace it before freeze season. A shutoff you cannot turn is not a shutoff.
Should I drip my faucets during a hard freeze?
Yes, dripping faucets is a legitimate freeze protection measure, and here is why it works. Moving water freezes more slowly than standing water, and an open faucet relieves pressure in the line. Pressure relief matters because it is the pressure buildup from ice, not the ice itself, that bursts most pipes.
During a hard freeze (temperatures in the teens or lower, especially with wind):
- Drip both hot and cold taps slightly, a thin stream, not just an occasional drip
- Choose faucets on exterior walls or far from where water enters the house
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warm room air reaches the pipes
- Keep the thermostat at a normal temperature day and night; do not set it back to save energy during the freeze
These steps do not guarantee no pipe will freeze, but they meaningfully reduce the risk.
What should I do if a pipe bursts?
Act fast and in this order:
- Shut off the main water valve. This is the single most important step. Do it before anything else.
- Turn off the water heater if the burst is on a hot water line, or if you are unsure. An empty water heater can be damaged by its own heating element.
- Open faucets to drain remaining water from the lines and relieve pressure.
- Call for help. If it is an emergency with active flooding, call an emergency plumber. Once the immediate crisis is handled, a leak detection visit can confirm the full extent of the damage and check for additional compromised lines.
- Document everything. Photograph the damage before cleanup begins. This helps with any insurance claim; see our insurance guide for general information.
- Start drying. Remove standing water and get air moving. Mold can begin growing within a day or two in damp materials.
Do not try to thaw a frozen pipe with an open flame or a heat gun on high. A hair dryer on low, moved slowly along the pipe, is the safer approach, and only if you can do it without standing in water.
How do I prepare my irrigation and pool equipment for a freeze?
Outdoor water systems are often forgotten until they crack. Before a hard freeze:
- Shut off the irrigation system at its dedicated valve and drain or blow out the lines if your system allows it
- Insulate the backflow preventer, which is one of the most freeze-vulnerable parts of a sprinkler system
- For pools, keep the pump running during the freeze if possible; moving water protects the equipment, and many pool controllers have a freeze-protection mode
- Drain and store garden hoses, and shut off water to outdoor hose bibs from inside if they have dedicated valves
Pool and irrigation freeze damage is extremely common after Texas cold snaps and entirely preventable with an hour of work.