Quick Answer
Ironclad Plumbing wrote this prep guide because 30 minutes of winter preparation costs $0-$50 and prevents $5,000-$50,000 in burst pipe damage. Austin gets 1-3 hard freezes per year. The 2021 winter storm proved most Austin homes aren’t built for extended cold. Protecting your plumbing takes about 30 minutes and costs $0-$50 in materials. Not protecting it can cost $5,000-$50,000 in burst pipe damage.
| Action | Time | Cost | What It Prevents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disconnect all garden hoses | 2 min | $0 | Cracked hose bib ($200 repair) + burst pipe behind wall ($275-$2,000 repair + water damage) |
| Cover outdoor faucets with foam covers | 5 min | $3-$5 each | Same as above |
| Know where your main shutoff is and test it | 5 min | $0 | Inability to stop water during a burst |
| Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls | 1 min | $0 | Frozen pipes in cabinet cavities |
| Set thermostat to at least 55F if leaving town | 1 min | Minimal energy cost | Frozen pipes throughout the house |
| Let faucets drip on exterior wall fixtures during hard freeze | 1 min per faucet | A few pennies in water | Frozen supply lines to those fixtures |
| Insulate exposed pipes in attic, garage, crawlspace | 30 min | $20-$50 in foam sleeves | Frozen and burst pipes in unconditioned spaces |
| Know how to shut off water at the street meter | 5 min | $10 for meter key | Last resort if house shutoff fails or pipe bursts at main line |
Do all of this before the first freeze warning. Not during. Before.
Why Austin Homes Are Vulnerable
Most Austin homes are built for heat, not cold. Insulation is designed to keep heat out. Pipe routing often runs through attics, exterior walls, and garages where temperatures drop to ambient during a freeze. Unlike northern homes where plumbing is routed through interior walls and insulated crawlspaces, Austin construction assumes it rarely freezes. When it does, the pipes are exposed.
The most vulnerable pipes in an Austin home:
Outdoor hose bibs. These are the #1 freeze casualty in Austin. When a garden hose is left connected, water stays trapped in the hose bib body. That water freezes, expands, and cracks the pipe or the hose bib body. The crack is on the interior side, so you don’t see it until spring when you turn the water on and the wall fills up.
Pipes in exterior walls. Supply lines running through exterior walls (common in kitchens and bathrooms where sinks are against an outside wall) can freeze when exterior temperatures drop below 28F for several hours. The wall cavity may have insulation facing the outside but the pipe is still in an unheated space.
Pipes in the attic. Austin homes with supply lines running through the attic (common in slab-on-grade homes where the attic is the only routing path) are at risk during hard freezes. Attic temperatures track outdoor temps closely since attics are ventilated.
Pipes in the garage. An unheated, uninsulated garage with exposed water heater supply lines, washing machine connections, or other piping is a freeze risk.
If Pipes Freeze (But Haven’t Burst Yet)
You turn on a faucet and nothing comes out, or the flow is a trickle. The pipe is frozen but hasn’t cracked yet. This is the window to thaw it safely before it bursts.
Do:
- Open the affected faucet so water can flow once it thaws (pressure relief).
- Apply gentle heat to the suspected frozen section: hair dryer, heat lamp, space heater pointed at the area, towels soaked in hot water wrapped around the pipe.
- Start from the faucet end and work toward the frozen section so water has somewhere to go as it melts.
- Keep applying heat until full water flow is restored.
Do not:
- Use a propane torch or open flame. You will start a fire in your wall or attic. This happens every freeze in Austin.
- Use a heat gun on high directly against a pipe in a wall cavity. Too much concentrated heat in an enclosed space is a fire risk.
- Leave and hope it thaws on its own. It might. It also might burst while you’re gone.
If Pipes Burst
You hear rushing water, see water spraying, or find pooling water with no visible source.
- Shut off the main water valve immediately.
- Open faucets to drain remaining pressure.
- If the burst is near electrical outlets or panels, turn off the breaker to that area.
- Document the damage with photos before cleanup.
- Call a plumber.
- Call your insurance company (burst pipes from freezing are typically covered as “sudden and accidental”).
- Call a water mitigation company to start drying.
See our full emergency guide: Plumbing Emergency — What to Do in the First 10 Minutes
Ironclad Plumbing: (833) 597-1932. We respond to freeze-related emergencies 24/7.