Insulate pipes in crawl spaces, garages and exterior walls, disconnect garden hoses and cover outdoor spigots before winter. On the night of a hard freeze, drip the faucets on outside walls, open cabinet doors under sinks and keep the heat steady. If a pipe freezes, open the faucet and warm the pipe gently, never with an open flame.
Why freezes catch Tuscaloosa homes off guard
Hard freezes don't happen every winter in Tuscaloosa, and that's the problem. Many homes here were built for heat, not cold, so pipes run through places with little or no insulation: crawl spaces, exterior walls, attics and garages. When a cold snap drops overnight temperatures into the low 20s or below, those pipes can freeze.
Water expands as it freezes. That builds pressure in the pipe between the ice and the closed faucet, and the pipe splits. The leak usually doesn't show until the ice melts, which is why burst pipes so often turn up the morning after a freeze, or a day later.
Tuscaloosa notePipes most at risk here are in vented crawl spaces under older homes, on north-facing exterior walls, under kitchen and bathroom sinks on outside walls, and running through unheated garages.
Before winter: a one-time checklist
- Insulate exposed pipes. Foam pipe sleeves from any hardware store fit over pipes in crawl spaces, attics and garages. Cover the elbows and valves too.
- Seal gaps. Close openings where cold air blows onto pipes, like holes where lines pass through exterior walls. Leave combustion air openings for gas appliances alone.
- Disconnect garden hoses. A hose left on an outdoor spigot traps water that can freeze back into the pipe inside the wall.
- Cover outdoor spigots. Foam faucet covers are cheap and easy to fit. If you have an inside shutoff for the outdoor faucet, close it and open the spigot to drain it.
- Find your main shutoff valve. Make sure it turns. If a pipe bursts, you'll want to find it in seconds.
- Consider heat cable for problem pipes. If a pipe has frozen before, a plumber can add listed heat cable with a thermostat. Follow the maker's instructions and don't wrap it over itself.
The night of a hard freeze
- Drip the right faucetsLet the faucets on exterior walls drip slowly, hot and cold. Moving water is harder to freeze, and an open faucet relieves pressure if ice does form.
- Open cabinet doorsOpen the doors under sinks on outside walls so warm room air reaches the pipes.
- Keep the heat steadyKeep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night instead of turning it down at bedtime.
- Close the garage doorEspecially if water lines or the water heater are in the garage.
- Close crawl space ventsIf your crawl space has vents you can close, close them for the cold snap and reopen them after.
Going away?The American Red Cross advises leaving the heat on and set no lower than 55°F. For a longer trip in winter, you can also shut off the main valve and drain the lines by opening faucets.
If a pipe freezes
The first sign is usually a faucet that gives only a trickle, or nothing, on a cold morning. You might also see frost on a pipe or a bulge in it.
- Leave the faucet openOpen the faucet the frozen pipe feeds. As the ice melts, running water helps melt the rest.
- Warm the pipe gentlyUse a hair dryer, a heating pad, a space heater kept a safe distance away, or towels soaked in hot water. Start at the faucet end and work back toward the frozen section.
- Never use an open flameNo torches, propane heaters or charcoal stoves. They're a fire risk and can damage the pipe.
- Check the other faucetsIf one pipe froze, others may have too.
- Call if you can't find it or reach itA pipe frozen inside a wall or deep in a crawl space is a plumber's job, and they can check for splits before the water comes back.
If a pipe bursts
Shut off the main valve immediately, then open a low faucet to drain what's left. Turn off power to the area if water is near outlets or the electrical panel, and only if you can do it without standing in water. Then call a plumber. Our plumbing emergency guide covers the full first-five-minutes checklist and cleanup.
Watch for slow leaks after the thawA pipe can split without spraying. Over the next few days, check under sinks and in the crawl space, and watch your water meter for movement when nothing is running.
Outdoor lines and the meter
Water lines buried in the yard are deep enough that they rarely freeze here. The more common trouble spots outside are spigots, backflow devices on irrigation systems, and pool equipment. Drain and cover them before a freeze. If the meter or meter box near the street is leaking after a freeze, in Tuscaloosa that's a call to 311, not a plumber.
Found a leak after the freeze?Water line and leak repair in Tuscaloosa→Questions people ask
At what temperature do pipes freeze?
It depends on how exposed the pipe is and how long the cold lasts. Pipes in unheated, uninsulated spaces are at real risk when overnight temperatures drop into the low 20s or below, especially for several hours or with wind.
Should I drip hot or cold water?
Both, if the faucet has separate hot and cold lines. A slow, steady drip from each is enough. You don't need a stream.
Should I close my crawl space vents in winter?
Closing them during a cold snap helps keep the crawl space warmer. Reopen them afterward so moisture doesn't build up.
Can I use a space heater to thaw a pipe?
Yes, if you keep it a safe distance from anything that can burn and never leave it running unattended. Never use a torch or any open flame.
What if I turn on the faucet and nothing comes out?
A pipe is probably frozen. Leave the faucet open, check other faucets, and warm the pipe you can reach. If you can't find the frozen section or it's inside a wall, call a plumber.
This guide is general information for homeowners, not professional advice for your specific home. Plumbing Tuscaloosa is a referral service and does not do plumbing work; a licensed plumber should look at your situation before any repair.