While Texas winters are generally mild, unexpected freezes catch homeowners off guard every year. When temperatures drop below freezing, exposed and poorly insulated water pipes are at risk of bursting, potentially causing tens of thousands of dollars in water damage.
February 2021's Winter Storm Uri was the extreme case — sustained sub-freezing temperatures for days resulted in an estimated 48,000 residential pipe bursts across Central Texas. But even a typical January cold snap with a single 19°F overnight low is enough to freeze and crack copper supply lines running through attics or exterior walls.
The most vulnerable pipes are those in unheated spaces: attics, crawl spaces, garages, exterior walls, and any line supplying an outdoor spigot. Copper and PEX both crack when frozen — the ice expansion creates pressure that splits the pipe.
Before a cold snap:
• Insulate exposed pipes with foam sleeves. Cheap at any hardware store. Single best thing you can do.
• Disconnect outdoor hoses and cover spigots with insulated covers.
• Know where your main shutoff valve is — test it. If it's corroded shut, fix that now, not during an emergency.
• Identify vulnerable rooms: laundry rooms over garages, upstairs bathrooms on exterior walls, attic HVAC closets.
During the cold snap:
• Let faucets drip slowly — both hot and cold — to keep water moving through vulnerable lines.
• Open cabinet doors under sinks to let warm air reach pipes in exterior walls.
• Keep the thermostat at a consistent 65°F+ even when you're not home.
• If you're leaving town, leave the heat on and set to 55°F minimum, or consider shutting off the main and draining the lines.
If a pipe bursts: Shut off the main water valve immediately. Turn off electricity to affected rooms at the breaker if water is near outlets. Start photographing for insurance before you touch anything. Then call for emergency water damage restoration.
Our team handled the January 2026 cold snap pipe burst at a Waco home — hot-water supply line to the washing machine failed during a 19°F overnight. By the time the homeowner woke, water had flowed for 90 minutes. Three rooms affected. We were on-site in 45 minutes. Full story is in our case studies.
Insurance covers sudden and accidental pipe bursts under nearly every Texas homeowner's policy. What it doesn't cover: gradual leaks that went undetected for months, or damage caused by your failure to mitigate (for example, if you left the heat off and went on vacation during a freeze warning).
Moisture Pro's 24/7 emergency line answers every call during Central Texas cold snaps. Call (254) 248-7776 the moment you discover a burst pipe.