Texas doesn't get hard freezes often, so a lot of homes have pipes in attics, exterior walls and crawl spaces with little insulation. When temperatures drop well below freezing, those pipes are at risk in both El Paso and Austin.
Before the freeze
- Know where your main water shut-off is and make sure it turns. This is the single most useful thing you can do.
- Disconnect garden hoses and cover outdoor faucets.
- Insulate exposed pipes in the attic, garage and under the house with foam sleeves.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so warm air can reach the pipes.
- Let faucets drip on the coldest nights. Moving water is much less likely to freeze.
- Keep the heat on, even if you're away.
Signs a pipe is frozen
Little or no water from a faucet, frost on a visible pipe, or a strange smell from a drain. If you think a pipe is frozen, keep the faucet open and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or space heater. Never use an open flame.
If a pipe bursts
- Turn off the main water right away.
- Turn off power to any area where water is near outlets or appliances.
- Take photos of the damage before cleaning up.
- Call a plumber to fix the pipe, and call for water extraction and drying.
Burst pipes often leak inside walls and ceilings before anyone notices, so the water can spread further than it looks. Professional drying includes checking moisture levels in floors and walls, not just the spot you can see.