How to Keep Pipes From Freezing: 15 Proven Ways to Prevent Frozen Pipes

Water expands when it freezes, and that expansion puts tremendous pressure on whatever's containing it — including your pipes. Keeping pipes from freezing comes down to a few consistent principles: insulate exposed pipes, keep your home's temperature steady rather than letting it drop, let vulnerable faucets drip during extreme cold, and seal up the drafts that let cold air reach your plumbing in the first place.

Why Do Pipes Freeze?

When temperatures drop low enough, water inside a pipe turns to ice. As it freezes, it expands, and that expansion creates pressure inside the pipe. Here's the part that surprises a lot of people: the pipe usually doesn't burst at the frozen section itself. The damage typically happens where pressure builds up between the ice blockage and a closed faucet downstream — the ice acts like a plug, and the trapped water between the plug and the tap has nowhere to go.

At What Temperature Do Pipes Freeze?

Pipes generally begin to be at risk once outdoor temperatures drop below 20°F, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, though there's no single exact temperature that guarantees freezing — wind chill, how well a pipe is insulated, and how exposed it is all affect the real risk level. A pipe running through an unheated garage can freeze well before one tucked inside a heated interior wall, even at the same outdoor temperature.

Which Pipes Are Most at Risk?

Pipes against exterior walls — kitchen and bathroom plumbing running along outside walls has less insulation between it and the cold, and this is one of the most common freeze locations, along with spots where the water service enters the home through the foundation.

Crawl spaces — poor insulation, cold air leaks, and exposed pipes make these consistently vulnerable.

Basements — especially unfinished basements and pipes running near foundation walls.

Garages — garage pipes are highly vulnerable simply because most garages aren't heated at all.

Outdoor pipes — garden hose connections, sprinkler lines, and outdoor faucets are directly exposed to the cold with no buffer.

How to Keep Pipes From Freezing

1. Insulate Exposed Pipes

This is the most important preventive step you can take. Foam pipe insulation, fiberglass insulation, and pipe sleeves are all inexpensive and widely available at hardware stores. Focus on basements, attics, crawl spaces, and garages — anywhere pipes run through unheated or poorly insulated space. Both hot and cold water pipes should be insulated in these areas, not just cold.

2. Keep Indoor Temperature Consistent

Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both day and night during cold snaps rather than lowering it overnight the way you might normally. This may mean a higher heating bill temporarily, but it's considerably cheaper than repairing a burst pipe. If you'll be away from home during cold weather, leave the heat on and set it no lower than 55°F — this specific number comes directly from the American Red Cross's cold-weather guidance, and it's echoed by insurance industry safety groups as well.

3. Let Faucets Drip

This is one of the most searched solutions for good reason, and it's genuinely effective for vulnerable pipes. Running water through a pipe — even just a trickle — helps prevent freezing, because moving water is harder to freeze than standing water, and it also relieves pressure if ice does start to form somewhere along the line. This is most worth doing for faucets served by exposed pipes, particularly sinks on exterior walls, during the coldest stretches of weather.

4. Open Cabinet Doors

For sinks with plumbing underneath, open the cabinet doors below kitchen and bathroom sinks during cold snaps. This lets warmer household air circulate around the pipes instead of leaving them sealed inside a cold, enclosed cabinet.

5. Seal Air Leaks

Cold air sneaking in through small gaps can freeze nearby pipes even in an otherwise reasonably warm space. Check around windows, doors, pipe openings, and foundation gaps for drafts, and seal what you find.

6. Disconnect Outdoor Hoses

Before winter sets in, remove garden hoses, drain outdoor faucets, and install faucet covers where available. A hose left connected can trap water in the line and meaningfully increase freezing risk right at the point where the hose meets the house.

7. Keep Garage Doors Closed

This matters most when pipes run through the garage and temperatures are dropping below freezing — an open garage door lets in exactly the cold air you're trying to keep away from that plumbing.

8. Install Heat Cable for Vulnerable Pipes

Heat tape or heat cables are worth considering for pipes in consistently at-risk spots — outdoor pipes, crawl spaces, and other known problem areas that insulation alone hasn't solved.

How to Prevent Pipes From Freezing While You're Away

Keep the thermostat running rather than turning the heat off entirely, and don't set it below 55°F. Ask a neighbor or family member to check on the home periodically if you'll be gone for an extended stretch. Consider shutting off the water supply if you'll be away for a long time and won't need it. Drain particularly vulnerable pipes if that's practical for your situation. Leave cabinet doors open around sink plumbing before you go. And a water leak or temperature monitoring system can give you an early warning even while you're not there to notice a problem yourself.

What to Do If Pipes Freeze

Turn off the water supply. This limits flooding risk if the frozen pipe has already cracked or is about to.

Open the affected faucet. This allows pressure to release as you work on thawing the pipe, and keeping the faucet open as the ice starts to melt lets water begin flowing through, which helps melt the remaining ice from the inside.

Warm the pipe slowly and safely. Safe methods include a hair dryer, warm towels, a heating pad wrapped around the pipe, or a portable space heater kept well away from anything flammable. Never use an open flame, a blowtorch, or any other high-intensity heat source directly on a pipe — this is a genuine fire hazard and can also damage the pipe itself.

Check for cracks once thawed. Look for bulging sections, active leaks, or visible water damage nearby, since a pipe that froze hard enough may have already cracked even if it hasn't started leaking yet.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Only insulating the pipes. Insulation slows heat loss, but it doesn't generate heat on its own — it buys you time in cold weather, but it isn't a complete solution by itself if the space around the pipe gets cold enough for long enough.

Turning the heat off completely. Even a relatively short period without heat can be enough for vulnerable pipes to freeze, especially in an already cold space like a garage or crawl space.

Ignoring outdoor faucets. Outdoor plumbing is often the very first thing to freeze, precisely because it has the least protection from the cold of anything in your home.

Using open flames to thaw a pipe. This is genuinely dangerous — it risks starting a fire and can damage the pipe itself, and it's specifically warned against by groups like the Red Cross for exactly that reason.

Frequently Asked Questions

How cold does it have to be for pipes to freeze? Pipes are generally at risk once temperatures drop below 20°F, especially if the pipe is exposed to cold air, though there's no single exact cutoff — wind chill and insulation both affect the real risk.

Does leaving a faucet dripping prevent pipes from freezing? Yes. A small, continuous drip keeps water moving through the pipe and reduces pressure buildup, both of which lower the chance of a freeze.

Should I leave faucets dripping in freezing weather? For pipes you know are vulnerable — those on exterior walls or in unheated spaces — a small drip during extreme cold is a reasonable precaution.

How do I protect pipes from freezing in winter? Insulate exposed pipes, keep indoor temperatures consistent rather than letting them drop, seal drafts around the house, and let vulnerable faucets drip during the coldest weather.

Which pipes freeze first? Typically outdoor pipes, pipes in garages, pipes running against exterior walls, and pipes in crawl spaces — anywhere with the least insulation and the most direct exposure to cold.

Last updated August 2026. Found something outdated? Let us know.