Freeze Prep Checklist for Dallas Homes (2026)

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October 11, 2026

On October 11, 2026

Most Dallas houses are plumbed for heat, not cold. Here's what to do this fall so hose bibs, attic lines and crawlspace pipes make it through winter, and what to do if one splits anyway.

Quick answer: Finish before November. Cover the hose bibs, shut down the sprinklers, sleeve exposed pipe in the attic, garage and crawlspace, close the foundation vents and test the main shut-off. On hard-freeze nights, keep the heat on, open sink cabinets on outside walls and, as Dallas Water Utilities urges, let indoor faucets drip slowly, hot and cold.

Call (844) 313-1397 — 24/7 emergency service

Office hours 8 AM–11 PM daily · 24/7 emergency service

Call (844) 313-1397

When should a Dallas house be ready?

National Weather Service records for DFW put the average first freeze on November 22 and the average last one on March 12, but the earliest first freeze came on October 22. Wrap up this list in October and leave the covers on until April.

What Winter Storm Uri taught Dallas homeowners

NWS data show DFW sat at or below freezing for 93 hours, rose to 33°F for about three hours on February 13, 2021, then dropped back under for another 139 hours. On February 15, the high was colder than that date's record low.

Prepare for a week, not a night. A pipe that survives one cold evening can still split on day four.
The heat can go off. More than two out of three Texans lost power at some point that week, according to a survey cited by the Texas Comptroller. Insulation and a working shut-off matter more than the thermostat.
Know the valve first. By February 17, Dallas Water Utilities (DWU) said it had responded to more than 1,000 burst pipes. Closing your own valve in the first minute limits the damage.
Fix weak spots now. A stiff valve or bare pipe is easier to handle in October.

Outside: hose bibs, sprinklers and bare pipe

Hose bibs: Unhook and drain every hose. On a frost-free faucet, a hose left on traps water in the valve body, and the crack opens inside the wall, out of sight. Snap an insulated cover over each faucet; one that drips when closed is worth a fixture repair now.
Sprinklers: Switch the controller off for winter and wrap the above-ground pipe and valves by the house.
Bare pipe: Sleeve the supply line where it leaves the ground.

Attic, garage and crawlspace lines

Attic. In a lot of Dallas slab homes the supply lines travel overhead. Trace each supply run, hot and cold, sleeve bare pipe near the eaves and soffit vents, and pull the insulation over the pipe so the warm ceiling sits beneath it.

Garage. Sleeve the lines to the water heater, washer box and utility sink, and keep the big door down below freezing. A struggling water heater deserves a repair before winter.

Crawlspace. Pier-and-beam houses built from the 1920s to the 1950s in Oak Cliff, East Dallas and South Dallas carry their plumbing under the floor, where air blows through the foundation vents. Shut those vents or fit foam plugs, then reopen them in spring so the ground can dry. Galvanized pipe with rusty, crusted joints is what ice breaks first; if you find a lot of it, ask about repiping.

Find the main shut-off and make sure it closes

Dallas Water Utilities names three usual spots for the private cut-off valve: near an outside faucet close to the house, near the irrigation valve if you have a sprinkler system, or, in older homes, buried in the yard with an upside-down "L" handle. Clear away any dirt around it, close it fully, then reopen it. If it won't budge, spins without stopping the flow or weeps at the stem, replace it while the weather is mild. In a condo, ask the building engineer where your unit's valve is.

On a hard-freeze night

Heat on, even if you're away.
Cabinets open under sinks on exterior walls; move cleaners away from kids and pets.
A slow drip, hot and cold, from indoor faucets on outside walls or fed by attic lines; set single-lever handles to the middle. DWU urged residents to drip indoor faucets in the January 2026 freeze.
Turn it off when the cold breaks. DWU estimates your sewer charge from your average water use billed December through March, so a tap left running for days can raise that average.
Away? Close the main, drain the lines through the lowest faucets and turn the water heater down to vacation mode.

If a pipe bursts anyway

Close the main and open the lowest faucet to drain what's left.
Turn the water heater off so it isn't heating a tank that can't refill.
Keep clear of water near outlets or a sagging ceiling.
Call (844) 313-1397. A burst pipe is an emergency at any hour, and we send our on-call plumber right away through our 24/7 emergency service.

Water won't stop? If the house valve can't be closed and you're inside Dallas city limits, call 311 so Dallas Water Utilities can shut it off at the meter, then call us. Never thaw a pipe with a torch or open flame.

Keep the invoice: DWU may adjust a bill after a leak caused a big jump in use (sewer leaks excluded). Our burst pipe guide covers the first minutes after a burst; the frozen pipes page explains thawing a line that froze without splitting. After the thaw, a meter that turns with every tap closed points to a hidden leak.

Dallas freeze prep FAQ

When is the first freeze in Dallas?

Around November 22 on average at DFW, according to National Weather Service records, with freezes possible into April. The earliest first freeze on record came on October 22, 1898, so October is the month to get ready.

Should I drip my faucets in Dallas when it freezes?

Yes. Dallas Water Utilities urges residents to drip indoor faucets during freezes. Let hot and cold drip slowly at faucets on outside walls or fed by attic pipes, follow any newer DWU notice, and shut the drip off once temperatures recover.

Where is the water shut-off on a Dallas house?

Usually near an outside faucet or the irrigation valve; in older homes it may be buried in the yard with an upside-down L-shaped handle. In an emergency inside Dallas city limits, DWU can turn the water off at the meter at any hour through 311.

Should crawlspace vents stay closed all winter?

Yes, on a pier-and-beam house. Shut them or fit vent plugs before freezing weather so wind can't sweep across the pipes under the floor, and open them again in spring to let the crawlspace dry.

What if a pipe bursts in the middle of the night?

Close the main shut-off and call (844) 313-1397 at any hour; for a burst pipe we send our on-call plumber right away. Office hours 8 AM–11 PM daily · 24/7 emergency service.

Book a freeze check before the cold arrives

Rather not crawl the attic? Call (844) 313-1397 or use our contact page, and we'll set a time that suits you to replace a stiff shut-off, swap a leaky hose bib and sleeve exposed pipe as part of maintenance and repairs, anywhere from the Cedars to Lakewood and Pleasant Grove in Dallas.

New customers save $50 and seniors, military and first responders take 10% off; the dispatch fee is $0 with a repair (terms on our coupons page). Dallas 24 PLUMBER holds Texas plumbing license # M-27587.