Heat out: protect your pipes now

Why this happens

State Farm says pipes can freeze and burst when temperatures dip below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, and lists poor insulation and a thermostat set too low among the common causes. Family Handyman says that in a 2021 storm in the southern plains states, power outages and extreme cold lowered indoor temperatures enough that interior pipes froze and burst. The Red Cross says pipes in unheated areas and along poorly insulated exterior walls freeze most often. None of the sources we opened says how long a cold house takes to freeze its pipes, so we cannot give a time.

How to fix it

1. Safety first. If you smell gas, if a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, or if you see smoke or smell burning, leave the house right away and call 911 or your gas utility from outside. Do not flip switches on your way out.
2. Check your taps for flow before bed and again when you wake up. The Philadelphia Water Department says the first sign of freezing is reduced water flow from a faucet.
3. Open cabinet doors under sinks and along outside walls so room air can reach the pipes, as the Red Cross, Travelers and State Farm suggest. The Red Cross says to move cleaners and chemicals out of children's reach.
4. Let a faucet drip, preferably one on an outside wall, as State Farm suggests. Family Handyman says moving water does not freeze as readily as still water.
5. Wrap exposed pipes in unheated spaces. Family Handyman says old rags, towels and blankets will do if you cannot get pipe insulation.
6. Keep garage doors closed if water pipes run through the garage, as the Red Cross and Travelers say.
7. Find your main shutoff now. The Philadelphia Water Department says it is usually near the water meter. Knowing where it is lets you use it fast if a pipe cracks.
8. Heat your home safely. Ready.gov says never to heat your home with a gas stovetop or oven, to use generators and grills only outdoors and away from windows, to keep generators and their fuel at least 20 feet from windows, doors and attached garages, and to have working carbon monoxide detectors with battery backups. Never use a torch or open flame on a pipe.
9. When heat returns, keep the thermostat at the same setting day and night, as the Red Cross and State Farm suggest. If the home will be empty, set it no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit, the figure the Red Cross, Travelers, State Farm and Family Handyman all give.

When to stop. If you smell gas, a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, or you see smoke or smell burning, leave and call 911 or your gas utility from outside. If a tap slows to a trickle or stops, treat it as a frozen pipe and start this checker again, choosing the option that matches what you see. If you see a crack or a leak, close the main if it turns easily by hand, keep clear of standing water near anything electrical, and call a licensed plumber. Never force a stuck shutoff.

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