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Texas Department of Insurance
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December 12, 2024

Prepare your home before winter’s fury hits

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Winter’s cold can freeze and burst your home’s pipes, causing costly misery.

But you can prepare before the temperature falls.

Before a freeze:

  • Wrap outdoor and indoor pipes in unheated areas (like a clothes washer in your garage).
  • Remove water hoses and wrap outdoor pipes.
  • Drain and turn off your lawn sprinkler system.

Inside, open cabinets under sinks to let your home’s heat warm the pipes. Let faucets drip from the cold and hot taps or run water through your indoor faucets – hot and cold – before you go to sleep.

If your pipes freeze, turn off the water at the shutoff valve. This prevents broken pipes from leaking into your house after they thaw.

Learn about prepping your home and car for winter’s cold in TDI's Texas Insurance Podcast.

Learn more