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Two winters ago, we had that week where temps stayed below freezing for days. My phone wouldn’t stop ringing. Burst pipes everywhere. The worst were folks who didn’t realize their pipes had frozen until things thawed and started flooding.
Frozen pipes aren’t super common here in North Texas, but when it happens, it’s a disaster for people who aren’t prepared. Pipes freeze, expand, and split wide open.
We don’t get sustained freezing like up north, so homes aren’t built with the same protection. Pipes run through exterior walls, attics, and crawl spaces without adequate insulation.
When temps drop below 32°F for more than a few hours, exposed pipes are at risk. The water inside freezes, expands, and cracks the pipe.
The damage happens while frozen, but you don’t see it until things thaw and water starts pouring out of the crack.
Most people don’t do these things because freezes are rare. But when it happens, it’s a mess.
If a pipe bursts:
Document everything with photos for insurance.
We’ll cut out the damaged section and replace it. PEX is great for freeze repairs because it’s more flexible and resistant to future freezing.
If multiple pipes burst, which happens during bad freezes, we might recommend repiping problem areas entirely.
We’ll also look at adding insulation or heat tape to prevent it from happening again.
Lots of people don’t realize their pipes froze until temps warm up. The ice melts, water starts flowing again, and suddenly you’ve got leaks everywhere.
This is why, after a hard freeze, we get slammed with calls for a few days once it warms up.
If your area froze, inspect carefully as it thaws. Look for water stains, wet spots, or active leaks. Check attics, crawl spaces, and cabinets under sinks.
Water from burst pipes can soak insulation, drywall, and studs before you even notice. This leads to mold if not dried out properly.
After fixing pipes, sometimes you need water damage restoration too. Depends on how long the water ran and where.
Most homeowners’ insurance covers burst pipe damage. But they might not cover damage if you left your heat off and the house was vacant.
Read your policy. Some require you to maintain heat or have someone check the house every few days.
File claims promptly and keep all receipts for repairs.
After that big freeze two years ago, we repiped a lot of attics and added insulation in crawl spaces. People learned the hard way that it doesn’t freeze here isn’t really true.
If you had frozen pipes once, fix the underlying issue. Insulate, reroute pipes, do whatever it takes. Counting on it not freezing again is risky.
Businesses suffer more during freezes because they are closed overnight when temps drop. No one’s there to notice problems until morning.
If you own commercial property, extra prevention is smart. Insulate everything, use heat tape, and have someone check the building during freezes.
A burst pipe flooding your business overnight causes huge losses, water damage, lost business, ruined inventory.
Frozen pipes are preventable. Simple precautions work. It’s just remembering to do them when freezes are forecasted.
Watch the weather. When hard freezes are coming, take 30 minutes to prepare. Way easier than dealing with burst pipes.
Dealing with frozen or burst pipes? My Local Plumber at http://www.mylocalplumber.net responds quickly to freeze emergencies and can repair damage before it gets worse.
