HOW TO PREPARE YOUR QUINLAN HOME'S PLUMBING FOR WINTER
Quinlan might not have the harsh winters of the northern states, but that's exactly why it's so easy to get caught off guard when the cold weather creeps in. One cold snap is all it takes to turn your plumbing system into an expensive disaster.
In this guide, we're outlining how to prepare your house before temperatures drop, and what to do when they do.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Even in Quinlan, TX, a single hard freeze can lead to frozen pipes and thousands of dollars in water damage. Preparing your plumbing before the first freeze is the best way to prevent these issues.
We recommend following a simple weekend checklist in October or November: insulating pipes, protecting outdoor faucets, sealing drafts, and testing your heating system. This should keep your plumbing system safe and reduce the risk of significant damage through the winter months.
If you'd rather have a pro handle your plumbing winterization, call us at Military Plumbing for a pre-winter plumbing inspection today.
WHY PLUMBING WINTERIZING IS KEY IN QUINLAN, TX
We all remember the February 2021 winter storm, which proved that Hunt County isn't immune to serious freezes. That event caused over $11 billion in insured losses across Texas, and a huge portion of this was tied directly to burst pipes. There's no denying the benefits of preparing your plumbing for winter to prevent expensive pipe bursts.
Many older homes and mobile homes in Quinlan have more exposed pipes and less insulation than newer construction, which makes them especially vulnerable in cold weather. Quinlan's average January low hovers around 37°F, but temperatures have been known to drop down into the mid-20s°F.
Your homeowner's insurance will usually cover sudden burst pipes, but the fine print often requires you to prove that you took "reasonable precautions." If you skipped winterizing your home, your claim could be denied.
1. PROTECT YOUR INDOOR PIPES FROM FREEZING
You want to keep water moving through your plumbing, and your pipes warm enough that they don't freeze during a freeze warning or if there's a power outage.
Here's what to do:
Find your shutoff valve first. It's usually near the water meter or where the line enters your slab. Test it now to make sure it works as it should.
Insulate all the exposed pipes in unheated areas, like your garage, attic, crawl space, and laundry room. It's easy to install foam pipe insulation sleeves over your pipes, and this precaution reduces the risk of freezing significantly, especially on an exterior wall.
Let your faucets drip slightly during a hard freeze. It might sound wasteful, but allowing a slow trickle from at least one hot and one cold tap farthest from the meter means that water won't freeze because it's constantly moving through the lines and relieving pressure buildup.
Open your kitchen cabinet doors and bathroom vanities on outside walls during a cold snap, so warm air can circulate around the plumbing and sinks.
2. SAFEGUARD YOUR OUTDOOR PLUMING AND EXPOSED PIPES
Your outdoor faucets and exterior faucets are the first things to freeze. There are several steps you can take to keep them safe before the colder temperatures arrive.
Our first tip is to disconnect garden hoses, drain them fully, and store them indoors to prevent damage from freezing. You should also turn off all outdoor faucets at their shutoff valves. Make sure you leave the outdoor faucets open so any remaining water can escape.
It's smart to cover your hose bibs with insulated covers to reduce heat loss from the pipes, or consider upgrading to a frost-free sillcock as a smart long-term solution. We can install these for you ahead of the next winter freeze.
If you can see visible frost on exposed pipes or you discover that one of your outdoor faucets suddenly has no flow after a freeze, shut water off at the main and call us right away.
3. IMPROVE YOUR HOME INSULATION AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY AROUND PLUMBING
Keeping warm air in and cold air out is everyone's goal when the weather gets colder. It doesn't just keep you comfortable and protect your pipes — it lowers your winter utility bills and improves your water heater efficiency, too.
Here are a few simple ways to improve your home insulation and energy efficiency around plumbing:
Seal any cracks around windows and doors with caulk, spray foam, or draft stoppers to prevent drafts and cold air from getting inside.
Also seal cracks around your home's exterior walls to protect your indoor pipes from cold air infiltration.
Use a heat cable alongside pipe foam insulation for better protection on particularly vulnerable sections of your plumbing, like pipes in a north-facing attic space or underneath a mobile home.
Check your attic and crawl space insulation levels, and consider upgrading your insulation if needed. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends specific R-values for North Texas.
Improving insulation and sealing drafts around your plumbing might come at an upfront investment, but it often pays for itself in energy savings over just a few seasons. We offer a combined plumbing and insulation checkup to help identify both pipe-freeze risks and suggest a few simple energy efficiency upgrades that you can consider.
WHAT TO DO WHEN A FREEZE WARNING OR COLD SNAP HITS QUINLAN
Hunt County can occasionally experience sudden overnight temperature drops, which is why we strongly recommend having a plan when a freeze warning is issued.
Follow this simple same-day checklist:
Set your home's temperature a few degrees warmer than usual
Drip selected faucets (hot and cold taps on exterior walls)
Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls
Double-check that all hoses are disconnected, outdoor faucets are covered, and irrigation controllers are set to winter mode
Keep garage doors closed during the coldest hours to protect any water lines running through or above the garage
Sign up for National Weather Service alerts so you know exactly when a freeze warning or hard freeze watch is issued for Quinlan
If you suspect a pipe has burst or you hear running water behind walls, see ceiling bulges, or find water on your floors, these are all signs you should call an emergency plumber in Quinlan. Shut off the main water supply immediately, then call us at Military Plumbing. We offer emergency plumbing services during Quinlan freeze events and can guide you by phone on what you should do to minimize damage while a plumber is on the way.
FAQ
At what temperature do pipes usually freeze in Quinlan, TX?
Your home's pipes start to be at risk when freezing temperatures remain at or below 32°F for several hours, but the real risk comes when temperatures stay in the mid-20s°F or lower overnight. If you have uninsulated, exposed pipes in your attic, crawl space, or garage, these can freeze faster than lines inside your home. We recommend taking extra precautions whenever a hard freeze warning or temperatures in the low 20s°F are forecast.
Should I shut off my water if I'm leaving Quinlan for a winter trip?
If you plan to be gone more than a night or two during the coldest part of winter, we advise you to shut off the main water valve as the safest option. Drain your interior water lines by opening all the faucets briefly after the shutoff, then close them. Leave your thermostat set to at least the mid-50s°F. We can show you exactly where and how to shut off your water supply during a service visit.
Can improving energy efficiency really help prevent frozen pipes?
Sealing drafts around your windows and doors and adding insulation is an effective way to reduce cold air infiltration around walls, floors, and ceilings where pipes run, which will keep those spaces several degrees warmer. Improving your insulation also means your house will hold heat longer during a power outage or thermostat setback, which lowers the chance that your pipes freeze. Winterizing is essentially a combined plumbing and energy efficiency project.
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