How to Keep Pipes From Freezing in a Central Texas Home

In Northern states, plumbing pipes are buried deep below the frost line and routed strictly within interior heated walls. In Central Texas, building practices prioritize cooling efficiency: water supply lines are often routed through vented attics, uninsulated garages, and along exterior brick veneers.

When an Arctic cold front (a 'Blue Norther') drops temperatures below 25°F for multiple consecutive hours, standing water inside attic PEX or copper lines can freeze solid. As water turns to ice, it expands by roughly 9%, generating internal pressures exceeding 2,000 PSI that rupture pipe walls.

The number one cause of exterior wall burst pipes in Pflugerville is leaving a garden hose connected to an outdoor sillcock. Even if you have a 'frost-free' hose bib, leaving a hose attached prevents the internal valve body from draining.

Trapped water freezes inside the brass shaft behind the brick veneer, splitting the copper tube. When you turn on the faucet in the spring, water floods the wall cavity. Disconnect all hoses, drain them, and install insulated hard-shell foam covers over all exterior spigots.

During sub-freezing events, keep a pencil-lead-thin stream of water running from faucets located on exterior walls. Moving water freezes at a lower temperature and relieves the hydraulic pressure that builds up between an ice blockage and a closed tap.

Drip both cold and hot lines—many homeowners forget that hot water pipes actually freeze faster in drafty attics due to dissolved gas differences (the Mpemba effect). Open cabinet doors beneath kitchen and bathroom sinks to allow heated room air to circulate around plumbing traps.

If your water heater is installed in the attic (standard in subdivisions like Blackhawk and Falcon Pointe), wrap all exposed copper lines in closed-cell polyethylene foam insulation. Seal soffit vents adjacent to plumbing risers with cardboard or foam board during active freezes, and leave the attic access hatch cracked slightly so warm house air enters the attic.