After the 2021 winter storm, Central Texas homeowners learned the hard way that our plumbing is not built for extreme cold. Most Texas homes have pipes in attics, exterior walls, and crawl spaces with little or no insulation. When temperatures drop into the teens, those exposed pipes freeze and burst. Here is how to protect your home before the next freeze.
Why Texas Homes Are Especially Vulnerable
Northern states build homes with freeze protection in mind — pipes run through insulated interior walls, water lines enter below the frost line, and insulation standards are much higher. Texas building codes assume mild winters. That means your water supply lines may run through an uninsulated attic, your outdoor hose bibs probably lack freeze-proof valves, and your main water shut-off may be buried under a concrete slab with no easy access.
The 2021 freeze caused over $18 billion in insured losses in Texas. The 2023 freeze hit Central Texas again. These events are not as rare as people thought — preparing now saves thousands in emergency repairs later.
Step-by-Step Winterization Checklist
1. Insulate exposed pipes. Foam pipe insulation costs $2–$4 per 6-foot section at any hardware store. Cover all exposed water supply lines in the attic, garage, crawl space, and exterior walls. Pay special attention to pipes near exterior walls or in unheated areas. For extra protection, use heat tape (thermostatically controlled electric heating cable) on the most vulnerable runs.
2. Locate and test your main shut-off valve. Every homeowner should know where their main water shut-off is and verify it works BEFORE a freeze. Most homes have a shut-off valve near the meter at the street and another where the main line enters the house. Turn it off and on to make sure it is not seized. If it is stuck or leaks when you close it, get it replaced before winter.
3. Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses. Leaving a hose connected to an outdoor faucet prevents water from draining out of the hose bib. When that trapped water freezes, it can crack the valve or the pipe behind it. Disconnect all hoses, drain them, and if you have an interior shut-off for outdoor faucets, close it and open the outdoor valve to drain residual water.
4. Seal air leaks around pipes. Cold air drafts are as dangerous as cold temperatures. Check where pipes pass through exterior walls, near foundation vents, and around electrical or plumbing penetrations. Seal gaps with caulk or expanding foam. Close foundation vents if your crawl space has them.
5. Know the drip trick — and when to use it. When a hard freeze is forecast (below 28°F for 4+ hours), open a faucet at the end of the longest pipe run to a pencil-lead thin trickle. Moving water is harder to freeze. This works best on supply lines that run through uninsulated spaces. You do not need every faucet running — just the ones on the most exposed lines.
What to Do If Your Pipes Freeze
If you turn on a faucet and nothing comes out during a freeze, a pipe is frozen somewhere. Do NOT use a torch or open flame to thaw it. Instead: keep the faucet open so melting water can flow, apply gentle heat with a hair dryer or space heater, and start from the faucet side working back toward the frozen section. If you cannot locate or access the frozen pipe, call a plumber.
If a pipe has already burst, shut off the main water immediately. The damage is done to the pipe, but you can prevent thousands of dollars in water damage to your home by stopping the flow. Then call Kimco at (737) 260-7255 — we handle emergency pipe repairs across all 44 communities in our service area.
When to Call a Professional
If your home has had burst pipes before, has extensive attic plumbing, or was built before 1990 with minimal insulation, consider a professional winterization assessment. Kimco can insulate vulnerable pipe runs, install frost-proof outdoor faucets, and add shut-off valves where needed. A few hundred dollars in prevention beats a $5,000 emergency repipe after a freeze.