How to Keep Pipes From Freezing in East Texas

Which pipes are most at risk in East Texas homes

Pipes running through unheated or poorly insulated spaces are most likely to freeze and split when a hard freeze hits Tyler, Longview and the surrounding towns. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension lists outdoor faucets, sprinkler and pool lines, crawl spaces, attics, garages, pipes along exterior walls and well houses as the most exposed, and notes that pipes with northern exposure face more risk. Many East Texas homes were not built for long hard freezes, so those lines often get little protection.

Watch these spots first:

• Pier-and-beam crawl spaces, often exposed directly to outside air with no slab to buffer them.
• Exterior walls, especially north-facing ones, where lines get little heat from the rest of the house.
• Attics, where plumbing sits above the insulation instead of below it.
• Outdoor spigots and hose bibs, sitting outside the heated part of the house entirely.
• Pool and irrigation equipment, where pumps and above-ground lines can crack if water sits in them.
• Garages, where a washing machine line or water heater faces exposure like an exterior wall.

Pre-freeze checklist

Do this before a freeze warning is issued: AgriLife Extension notes pipe wrap and heat tape often sell out once freeze warnings go out.

1. Insulate exposed pipes in the attic, crawl space, garage or exterior walls with foam sleeves, wrap insulation or heat tape.
2. Cover outdoor spigots with foam hose bib covers.
3. Disconnect garden hoses, which trap water in the spigot and the line behind it.
4. Drain pool and sprinkler supply lines per the manufacturer’s or installer’s instructions.
5. Insulate or heat any well house or outbuilding with plumbing in it.
6. Seal drafts where pipes pass through an exterior wall, foundation or attic floor.
7. Locate your main water shutoff valve and make sure your household knows how to use it.
8. Decide your travel plan: leave the heat on, or arrange for someone to check the house.

What temperature puts pipes at risk

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension notes that water pipes can freeze and burst when the outside temperature reaches 20 degrees or below, and advises taking precautions any time temperatures dip below freezing. A multi-day hard freeze gives a pipe far more time to reach that point than a single overnight dip.

The February 2021 freeze is the clearest local example. NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information reports that every Texas county was placed under a Winter Storm Warning during the February 11 to 20 freeze, the coldest Texas winter storm since December 1989. In Longview, pipes burst in homes and businesses across the city, and the National Weather Service logged 10 to 12 inches of snow and sleet that week. That kind of multi-day freeze is the highest-risk pattern for East Texas plumbing, precisely because it’s rare here.

During a hard freeze

Running water is much less likely to freeze than standing water. The American Red Cross recommends letting cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes, and the Texas Department of Insurance suggests dripping both the cold and hot taps. If your city asks residents to limit water use during a freeze, follow its instructions. If a pipe does freeze, TDI advises turning off the water at the shutoff valve so a split pipe can’t leak into the house once it thaws.

Open cabinet doors under any sink on an exterior wall so warmer indoor air can reach the supply line inside. Keep the thermostat at the same setting overnight as during the day; the Red Cross notes a short-term higher heating bill costs far less than a burst pipe.

Heat tape and insulation

Foam pipe sleeves and wrap insulation cover the most common trouble spots: exposed runs in an attic, crawl space or garage, and lines inside an exterior wall. AgriLife Extension also advises shielding pipes from direct wind, which accelerates freezing.

For a pipe that can’t be rerouted or fully insulated, the American Red Cross suggests UL-listed heat tape or heat cable, installed to the manufacturer’s instructions. Neither insulation nor heat tape adds heat on its own, so pair them with a dripping faucet and a steady thermostat.

Leaving town or a vacant property

A pipe that freezes and bursts in an empty house can run for days before anyone notices, turning a plumbing repair into a full water damage claim. The Red Cross recommends leaving the heat on, set no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit, rather than turning the system off while you’re traveling. The Texas Department of Insurance also advises turning off the water at the shutoff valve before you leave, and warns that a home or renters policy might not pay for frozen pipe damage if you didn’t take steps to protect your pipes, such as keeping the heat on. If a home will sit vacant, ask a neighbor or property manager to check on it during a freeze and make sure they know where the main shutoff valve is.

Risk area vs. what to do

Risk area	What to do
Pier-and-beam crawl space	Insulate exposed lines; close crawl space vents if your home’s design allows it
Exterior wall	Open cabinet doors below sinks, seal drafts
Attic	Insulate or heat-tape exposed runs
Outdoor spigots	Disconnect hoses, add foam faucet covers
Pool or irrigation equipment	Drain supply lines per manufacturer instructions
Garage	Keep the door closed, insulate exposed lines and the water heater

How to thaw a frozen pipe safely

Never use an open flame on a pipe. The American Red Cross says not to use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove or other open flame device.

1. Open the faucet the frozen section feeds, hot and cold sides, so melting ice has somewhere to go.
2. Find the frozen section: look for a noticeably colder spot or frost on an exposed pipe.
3. Apply gentle, gradual heat to the frozen section with an electric heating pad, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater kept away from anything flammable, or towels soaked in hot water.
4. Keep at it until full pressure returns, checking for leaks from any section you can’t see.
5. Call a plumber if the frozen section is inside a wall, or you’re not comfortable doing this yourself.

Signs a pipe has already burst

• A sudden drop in water pressure at a faucet or shower.
• Water stains, bubbling paint or a sagging spot on a ceiling or wall.
• A damp or warm spot on flooring near an exterior wall.
• Running water sounds when every fixture in the house is off.
• A water bill that spikes with no clear reason.
• Wet or sunken ground outside near a buried line.

Treat any of these as an active leak rather than waiting for it to get worse. Our burst pipe page covers what to do step by step, including when it’s safe to thaw a line yourself and when to shut off the water and get help.

Where to find your main shutoff and meter box

The water meter for most homes sits in a box near the street, under a square or round lid you can lift by hand or with a meter key. The homeowner’s cutoff valve is typically just past the meter, closer to the house. In Longview, the valve on the city side of the meter is city property residents are asked not to operate themselves; homeowners can install their own valve on their side of the meter for faster control during a freeze. The same report lists the Longview water and sewer emergency number as 903-236-3030. Confirm the setup with Tyler Water Utilities or the City of Longview if you aren’t sure where yours is.

When to call a plumber vs. a restoration company

A plumber fixes the pipe itself: finding the break and reconnecting or replacing it so water stops leaking. That’s the right first call if a pipe froze but hasn’t burst, or burst with the water already shut off and contained.

A restoration company handles what the water did on its way out: extracting standing water, drying wet drywall and flooring, and heading off the mold risk that grows the longer materials stay wet. If a pipe already split and water soaked into walls or flooring, that’s a restoration job worth starting while the repair is scheduled. Many homeowners need both.

For what that kind of repair and drying work tends to cost, see our water damage cost guide, and for how a frozen pipe claim is typically handled by insurance, see our insurance and water damage guide. Homeowners in Tyler and Longview can also find area-specific help.