Leaving for the Holidays? How to Freeze-Proof Your Home

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Picture it. You've survived the holiday road trip. The kids are asleep in the back seat, the dog is snoring, and you pull into the driveway dreaming about your own bed. You open the front door and hear it. The sound of water. Lots of water. Somewhere in the attic, a pipe froze while you were gone, then thawed and started spraying.

That's not the holiday memory anybody wants. The good news? Most of it is preventable with about an hour of prep before you leave. Here's our "before you go" list, with a little Texas humor for the road.

Why Is an Empty House More at Risk?

When you're home, you run water, open doors and notice when something sounds off. When you're gone, nobody's there to drip the faucets or hear the hiss. If a cold front blows through while you're away, and in North Texas they can show up with very little warning, a small problem can run for days.

What Should I Do With the Thermostat?

Leave the heat on. Resist the urge to turn it way down to save a few bucks. A heated house keeps the pipes in your exterior walls and attic from getting too cold. Set it to a steady, moderate temperature and leave it. If you have a smart thermostat, set alerts for low temperatures so your phone yells at you before your pipes do.

Should I Shut Off the Water While I'm Gone?

For longer trips, especially during cold weather, it's worth considering. Here's how:

1. Find your main water shutoff and turn it off.
2. Open the lowest faucet in the house and a faucet upstairs to drain the lines.
3. Close the faucets once they stop running.
4. Check your water heater's manual. Some recommend turning it to "vacation" mode or off when the water is shut off.
5. Turn your irrigation system off.

If you shut off the water, an ice maker or toilet won't refill, which is fine. If you'd rather leave the water on, at least make sure someone can turn it off quickly.

What Should I Do Outside Before I Leave?

• Disconnect garden hoses. Yes, even the one you swear you'll use again next weekend.
• Cover outdoor faucets with insulated covers.
• Protect the irrigation backflow preventer. Our guide to winterizing outdoor faucets and backflow has the details.
• Clear gutters so a surprise ice storm doesn't send water where it shouldn't go.

What About the Inside?

• Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls
• Check that attic pipes have insulation sleeves (see attic water lines and freezes)
• Close the garage door, especially if a water heater or laundry lines are out there
• Put a water leak sensor or two near the water heater, washer and under sinks
• Unplug small appliances and holiday decorations you don't need running

Who Should Have a Key?

Ask a trusted neighbor, friend or family member to check on the house, especially if a hard freeze shows up while you're away. Give them:

• A key or door code
• Your shutoff location, with a photo
• Your phone number and ours: (945) 300-9018

A five-minute walk-through can catch a problem on day one instead of day six. Bring them back some fudge. They earned it.

What If I Come Home to Water Anyway?

Don't panic. Shut off the main, turn off power to wet rooms if you can do it safely, take photos and video of everything, and call us. CMDR Restoration, our mitigation partner (licensed by TDLR, RCO #1801), handles extraction and drying. G3 rebuilds what has to come out. Learn more on our water damage page.

Safe travels, y'all. Hug your people, eat the pie, and come home to a dry house.

Frequently Asked Questions

Keep learning: see our CMDR Restoration & Mitigation page, read How to Prevent Mold After Water Damage, or read what homeowners say in our customer reviews.