As freezing temperatures and snow are forecasted, homeowners are urged to take steps to protect their pipes from the harsh winter conditions. Plumbers have shared essential tips to prevent pipes from freezing, which can lead to costly repairs and significant water damage.
One of the primary recommendations is to wrap pipes, especially those located in unheated areas like basements, attics, and garages. Insulating these pipes can help maintain a stable temperature and prevent them from freezing. Plumbers emphasize the importance of using quality insulation materials to ensure maximum protection.
“It’s a good idea to wrap them with towels. But if you don’t put plastic over the towel, this is just collecting all the moisture,” said Nathan Renfro with Texas Plumbing. “So, that just make it twice as cold on here.”
He said while insulating the exterior pipes, you’ll want to use duct tape to make sure it blocks the wind.
Renfro, for himself, he shuts off his water each night during winter weather.
“I recommend turning off the water at the street,” he said. “Turn it off at night, and I turn it right back on in the morning so that over when it’s nighttime and it’s really cold, there’s no water in the pipes. During the day, it comes above freezing [turn it on].”
However, he understands not everyone would follow in his footsteps. So, he recommends allowing a steady flow of water to run through the pipes.
“If you don’t turn off the water, a slow drip will lead to a rip. A good flow won’t let it blow. So, you have to have a steady stream of water so that it doesn’t have time to sit in the pipe and freeze just that slow drip like they show everywhere,” Renfro said.
Houston’s Public Works does not recommend dripping.
“Houston Public Works does NOT advise people to drip their faucets,” a spokesperson said in a statement to KPRC 2. “Our water system is run through re-pump stations, not water towers. It could have a negative impact on our system’s water pressure if we have a mass amount of people dripping their faucets. We do advise people to drain their pipes and turn off water service to their home if they are leaving town for the holidays. You can turn off water service to your home by locating the shutoff valve and turning it clockwise.”
Transcript of Interview with Texas Plumbing’s Nathan Renfro, edited for clarity:
NATHAN RENFRO, TEXAS PLUMBING: If you don’t turn off the water, a slow drip will lead to a rip. A good flow won’t let it blow. So, you have to have a steady stream of water so that it doesn’t have time to sit in the pipe and freeze just that slow drip like they show everywhere. That’s not enough movement. It has to be a steady stream.
RILWAN: There are some counties that don’t allow the drip of the water or some municipalities, if they can’t drip, what should the should they do instead.
NATHAN RENFRO, TEXAS PLUMBING: Turn off the water? That’s the safest bet. And the cost of running your water is much cheaper than having a plumber blowing a water line up and having to clean up the mess.
RILWAN: What about those on well water?
NATHAN RENFRO, TEXAS PLUMBING: If you have well water, then you would want to cut your well off, bleed it down because if you blow a waterline outside and you don’t know, your pump is just constantly pumping that pressure, that water up through the slab and into wear your motor out on your well.
RILWAN: Are there any other things you want people to be aware of?
NATHAN RENFRO, TEXAS PLUMBING: Do not wrap the gas meters. Everybody was wrapping the gas meters and covering them up for God knows what reason. But it doesn’t freeze. And if you wrap that regulator up, there’s a port on the bottom where it purges the extra gas off. So, if you actually seal that up, it can’t breathe, and it actually act as a small little bomb. So don’t do that. Do not wrap the gas meters.
