Seasonal · Hard-Freeze Pipe Protection
Protect Your Pipes Before the Rare Hard Freeze.
On the Gulf Coast, freezes are rare — which is exactly why pipes burst when one hits. Homes here aren't built for cold, and nobody expects it. Here's the short, local checklist to protect your pipes, hose bibs, and outdoor fixtures before, and during, a hard freeze in Baldwin County.
- 01Master Plumber MP-4462
- 02Upfront pricing
- 032-year repair warranty
Before the freeze
Do these once, before the first cold snap.
- Find your main water shutoff now — not at 2 a.m. The single most valuable thing you can do before any freeze is know where your main shutoff is and confirm it turns. On a slab home it's usually near the front hose bib, in a meter box at the street, or where the line enters the house. If a pipe bursts, shutting the main off in seconds is the difference between a mopped floor and a gutted room.
- Disconnect and drain garden hoses. A hose left connected traps water against the hose bib and the pipe behind it. When that water freezes and expands, it can split the pipe inside the wall — you won't see it until it thaws and floods. Disconnect every hose, drain it, and store it before the first hard freeze.
- Insulate outdoor spigots (hose bibs). Outdoor spigots are the most exposed plumbing on the house. Cover each one with an inexpensive foam faucet cover (a few dollars at any hardware store) or wrap it with insulation. If you have frost-free hose bibs, they still fail when a hose is left attached — so disconnect first, then cover.
- Protect pipes in unheated spaces. Pipes in crawlspaces, attics, garages, and against exterior walls freeze first. Wrap exposed pipe with foam pipe insulation or heat tape. Close crawlspace and garage doors, and seal drafts where cold air blows directly on a pipe.
- Know which pipes have frozen before. If a specific fixture or pipe froze in a past cold snap, it will freeze first again. Give it extra insulation and priority attention — a repeat freeze on the same run often means it's poorly located or under-insulated, which we can help re-route or protect properly.
The night of a hard freeze
When a hard freeze is forecast.
- Let vulnerable faucets drip. When a hard freeze is forecast, open the faucets farthest from where your water enters the house to a slow, steady drip — a pencil-thin stream. Moving water is far harder to freeze, and a dripping faucet relieves the pressure that actually bursts a pipe. Prioritize faucets on exterior walls and in unheated areas.
- Open cabinet doors under sinks. Kitchen and bathroom sinks on exterior walls hide their supply lines behind cabinet doors that block your home's heat. Open those cabinet doors overnight so warm room air reaches the pipes.
- Keep the heat on — even if you're away. Leaving town during a cold snap? Set the thermostat no lower than 55°F. Turning the heat off to save a few dollars is how a vacant house — or a vacation rental between guests — ends up with a burst pipe and thousands in water damage.
- If a pipe freezes, don't panic — and don't use a torch. A faucet that won't run in a freeze may be frozen, not broken. Open the faucet, then warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or space heater, working from the faucet back. Never use an open flame. If you can't reach the frozen section or a pipe has already burst, shut off the main and call us.
If something goes wrong
Freeze damage? We can help.
A burst pipe, a hidden leak that shows up after the thaw, or a split hose bib — freeze damage is one of the calls we handle every cold snap. Shut off the main, then reach for the right service:
- Emergency Plumbing — burst pipe or no water
- Leak Search & Repair — find a hidden burst
- Water Line Repair & Replacement
- Faucet & Fixture Repair — hose bibs and spigots
See also the other seasonal guides and our hidden water leak rundown.
Freeze Prep — Frequently Asked Questions
Does it really freeze hard enough on the Gulf Coast to burst pipes?
Yes — and that's the trap. Baldwin County only sees a handful of hard-freeze nights most winters, so homes here are built with more exposed plumbing than colder regions and homeowners rarely prep for it. When a genuine hard freeze does roll through, burst-pipe calls spike overnight. Rare doesn't mean harmless; it means unprepared.How cold does it have to be before I should worry?
The common rule of thumb is to take protective steps (drip faucets, open cabinets, cover spigots) once temperatures are forecast to drop into the low 20s°F or below for several hours, especially overnight. Wind and how exposed a pipe is matter too — a pipe in a drafty crawlspace can freeze before the air hits 20°F.Should I leave a faucet dripping all winter?
No — only when a hard freeze is actually forecast. Dripping a faucet is a targeted freeze-night tactic, not an all-winter habit (that just wastes water). Turn the drips on before a cold snap and off once temperatures climb back above freezing.A pipe already burst — what do I do right now?
Shut off your main water valve immediately to stop the flooding, then open a faucet to relieve pressure in the lines. Move valuables away from the water and call us. Knowing where your main shutoff is — before you ever need it — is the whole reason to walk the house before freeze season. Call (251) 423-7654.
Before the next cold snap
Worried About a Vulnerable Pipe?
If a pipe froze last winter or you've got exposed runs in a crawlspace or garage, we can insulate, re-route, or repair before the next freeze. Call while it's calm.
Real Streamlined work