Expand / Collapse search
☰

Houston weather: What to do if your pipes burst amid freezing weather?

By
Published  January 20, 2025 12:06pm CST
Weather
FOX 26 Houston

The Brief

    • To help prevent your pipes from freezing or bursting, it's best to keep your faucets dripping.
    • Houston is forecasted to experience lows in the 20s Monday night-early Tuesday morning.

HOUSTON - With the incoming freezing weather means concerns about pipes freezing or bursting.

Repairing busted pipes can be expensive and preparation to protect them now can save you money in the future.

What to do if your pipes burst?

How you can shut off your main water valve

A major concern during freezing weather is pipes bursting! FOX 26's Ruben Dominguez gives a quick show of how you can shut off your water valve.

Recognize the issue:

If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe, the American Red Cross says. It is possible only a portion of your pipe could be frozen, though, which is why less water is getting through.

Get news, weather and so much more on the new FOX LOCAL app

How to protect your pipes during a freeze

When do you need to wrap your pipes ahead of a freeze? Which pipes do you need to protect? Nick Richardson, manager at Cypress ACE Hardware, shares some tips for protecting your home.

Pipes that are likely to freeze are ones against exterior walls or in the basement. 

What you can do:

According to experts, leaving the faucet to drip or trickle during cold weather can prevent freezing. And, if the pipe does freeze, it can help relieve some of the pressure. 

Stan Hollibaugh with ServiceMaster Restoration & Cleaning has suggested shutting off your water valve before attempting to thaw your pipes.

RELATED: Freeze warning: What you need to do ahead of winter storms

To thaw a frozen pipe, apply some heat to the section of the pipe you know is frozen. The American Red Cross recommends the following methods: 

  • Wrap an electric heating pad around the pipe
  • Use a hairdryer
  • Set up a portable space heater
  • Wrap the pipe in towels soaked with hot water

Get in contact with a plumber or reputable repair services about your pipes.

Call your homeowner's insurance agent and start taking pictures and video of the damage to file a claim.

The Source: Information from this article was obtained from previous FOX 26 reports.

Weather