when prevention isn't enough
How to Prevent Frozen Pipes in Owasso and Oklahoma Homes
Hard freeze coming? Protect your pipes tonight
Oklahoma winters are mild most days, so many homes aren't built for a hard freeze. When a fast cold front hits Owasso, pipes in exterior walls, garages and attics can freeze and burst. These steps help prevent frozen pipes, and show what to do if one freezes anyway.
Which pipes freeze first in Oklahoma homes?
Pipes freeze first where cold air reaches them and house heat doesn't. In Owasso's slab homes, that means:
- Supply lines in exterior walls, especially kitchen and bathroom walls facing north
- Pipes in the garage, including water heater and laundry lines
- Supply lines that run through the attic
- Outdoor spigots, especially with a hose still attached
- Pipes under sinks in cabinets on outside walls
What should you do before winter starts?
Disconnect garden hoses from every outdoor spigot
Cover outdoor spigots with insulated covers
Add foam insulation to pipes you can reach in the garage and attic
Seal gaps where cold air gets in near pipes, like around dryer vents and plumbing openings
Find your main water shut-off and make sure it turns
Drain and shut off irrigation systems
What should you do the night before a hard freeze?
Let a slow drip run from faucets on exterior walls
Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls
Keep the garage door closed
Keep the thermostat at a steady temperature day and night
Keep the heat on if you're leaving town
What should you do if a pipe freezes?
If a faucet gives little or no water during a freeze, the pipe feeding it is probably frozen. Act before it bursts.
Open the faucet so melting water can flow out.
Warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or a space heater kept at a safe distance. Never use an open flame.
Start warming from the faucet end and work back toward the frozen spot.
Watch for leaks as it thaws. A frozen pipe may already be split.
If you see water, shut off the main and call a plumber and us.
What should you do if a pipe bursts?
Shut off the main water right away, switch off power to wet rooms if the panel is dry, and take photos. Then call a plumber for the pipe and call us to remove the water and dry your home.
Get help now: Burst and frozen pipe cleanup in Owasso
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Frequently asked questions
Should I drip my faucets during a freeze?
Yes, for faucets on exterior walls or near the garage. Moving water is harder to freeze, and an open faucet relieves the pressure that makes pipes burst. Drip both hot and cold on single-handle faucets.
Can a garden hose cause a pipe to burst?
Yes. A hose left attached traps water in a frost-free spigot, which can freeze and split the pipe inside the wall. The leak may not show until the spigot is used again in spring. Disconnect hoses before the first freeze.
What temperature should I keep my house at when I'm away in winter?
Keep the heat on at a steady, normal temperature rather than turning it down low, and ask someone to check the house during a hard freeze. Consider shutting off the main water and draining the lines if you'll be gone a long time.
My pipes thawed and nothing leaked. Am I safe?
Check again over the next few days. Pipes can crack during a freeze and start leaking later as temperatures swing. Look under sinks, in the garage and along ceilings for new stains or drips.
Pipe burst after a freeze? Call now.
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