Prepare plumbing for a North Texas freeze by locating your private water shutoff, removing hoses from outdoor faucets and protecting exposed pipes before the temperature drops. Start with unheated areas such as garages, attics and crawlspaces. These are easier to check while paths are dry and you can still arrange a repair.
Make sure everyone at the property knows who can turn off the water if a pipe breaks. During the freeze, pay attention to a sudden loss of flow at individual fixtures. After temperatures rise, look for new drips or damp spots where the pipes run.
How do you find the private water shutoff?
Check where the water line enters the property or ask the owner, utility or plumber where to look. The valve you need is the one that serves the property on the private side of the system. Utility-owned equipment may have separate controls. If you are unsure which valve is yours, confirm before operating anything near the meter.
Clear a path and show other people at the property where the valve is. If it is in a garage, move boxes or storage bins far enough back that it can be reached in a hurry. Mark it with a tag and keep a flashlight in a place people can find. If a valve is stuck or already leaking, have it checked before the weather changes.
At a rental or a shared building, ask management who has permission to isolate a unit or the building. Save an after-hours contact where occupants can find it.
What should you do with outdoor faucets and hoses?
Remove garden hoses, splitters and other attachments. Check that the faucet closes and look for a continuing drip. Fit a cover that encloses the faucet and sits snugly against the wall, following the cover maker's instructions. Fort Worth Water recommends disconnecting hoses and covering outside faucets before a freeze.
Walk around the whole building. A faucet tucked behind bins or at the end of a side yard is easy to miss. List any exposed outdoor plumbing, including irrigation components. Their preparation depends on the system, so check with the installer or utility if you do not know how it was set up.
Leave the meter box lid in place. If it is damaged or missing, report it to the utility so it can advise you. Arrange help for any outdoor valve or connection that needs repair while it is still easy to reach.
Which indoor pipes need extra attention?
Look at plumbing along outside walls and in rooms that get much colder than living areas. Common spots include a kitchen cabinet on an exterior wall, a utility line at the back of a garage and piping in an attic or crawlspace. Use an existing safe access point. Have a professional check areas you cannot see or reach safely.
Ask about suitable pipe insulation for exposed sections and check for gaps in insulation already in place. On a prolonged freeze, Fort Worth Water suggests opening cabinet doors so room heat can reach pipes inside. Move cleaners and other hazards out of reach of children and pets first. Keep garage doors closed when plumbing runs through the garage.
Walk the route from each fixture back toward the room or wall that supplies it. If a laundry sink, washer connection and hose bib are all on the same cold side of the house, note them together. Make a short checklist by room so you can recheck the same spots after temperatures rise.
How do you plan for a vacant property or an outage?
If you will be away, confirm who can check the property and reach the private shutoff. Share the valve location and emergency contact details with that person. Ask a plumber or the utility how to prepare a vacant home. The right plan depends on the building and the equipment connected to the water supply.
Keep some drinking water on hand in case a freeze or main break interrupts service. If heat or power goes out, check local instructions and pay attention to rooms with exposed pipes. Follow your utility's current guidance on dripping faucets during severe weather. Instructions can vary with the weather and the condition of the public system.
What if water stops flowing during the freeze?
Check whether one tap, several fixtures or the entire property is affected. If nearby properties also lost water, look for a utility notice or contact the utility to check for an outage. When one area loses flow and the rest of the house works, write down which branch appears affected and whether it passes through an unheated area.
Fort Worth Water advises calling a plumber if you suspect a frozen pipe. A crack can start leaking as the ice melts. Avoid applying a flame or bringing electrical heating equipment near the pipe. Keep the path to the private shutoff clear so you can reach it safely if water starts escaping.
What should you check after the temperature rises?
Look for moisture around the pipes and fixtures that lost flow. Check from dry areas and pay attention to stains that spread, water sounds when fixtures are off and drips below an exposed pipe. If water is escaping, close the private shutoff if it is safe to reach and keep away from wet electrical equipment.
When you call, share which fixtures lost flow, where the pipe runs if you know, and whether the water is currently shut off. Mention any area that is hard to access. If a repair is needed, ask how the repaired section will be checked and what protection would be appropriate before the next freeze.
If nothing is wet on the first walk through, check the same areas again once the home is warmer and normal water use resumes. A hidden leak can become visible later. Record any new mark and the time it appeared so you can distinguish it from old staining.
Peerless Plumbing offers pipe repair in Dallas–Fort Worth. Call the number for your service area to discuss what you’re seeing.
