Prevent Frozen Pipes This Winter in Houston

Where Frozen Pipes Happen Most in Houston Homes

Pipes freeze when water inside them turns to ice, expanding and cracking the line. In Houston, this happens most often in attics, crawl spaces, exterior walls, and garages—anywhere that's exposed to cold air and not insulated.

Pipes running along outside walls of bedrooms or bathrooms are especially vulnerable. Outdoor faucets, hose bibs, and sprinkler lines left full of water are the first to freeze. Interior pipes in unheated spaces like attics or under-house crawls are next.

What to Do Right Now to Prevent Damage

Start these steps before the forecast calls for a hard freeze:

**Insulate exposed pipes.** Wrap any bare pipe you found with foam pipe insulation (sold at hardware stores for a few dollars per foot). Even a simple blanket or towel taped around a pipe buys you hours of protection.

**Seal air leaks.** Use caulk or spray foam to close gaps where pipes enter walls, around windows, and along the foundation. This keeps cold air from reaching vulnerable lines.

**Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses.** Do this now, not the day before the freeze. Shut off outdoor faucets at the shutoff valve (usually in the basement or under the house) if your home has them, then open the faucet to let water drain.

**Insulate the attic and crawl space.** If you have exposed pipes in these areas, extra insulation in the space itself makes a big difference. This is easier done before freeze season.

**Have a backup plan.** Know where your main water shutoff is located. If a pipe does freeze or burst, turning off the water immediately stops the flood.