Freeze-Ready: A Winter Home Checklist for DFW Homeowners

North Texas winters are mostly mild, which makes winter prep easy to skip. Then one hard freeze rolls through, and suddenly everyone in Mansfield, Burleson, and Fort Worth is hunting for pipe covers at the same store.

Many DFW homes were built for heat, not ice. Pipes often run through attics, garages, and exterior walls, which leaves them exposed when temperatures drop fast.

This winter home checklist for DFW homeowners walks you through what to do now, what to do when a freeze hits, and what to check once it warms up.

Protecting Pipes From Freezing

Pipes freeze most often where they're exposed to cold air: outdoor faucets, sprinkler lines, attics, garages, and outside walls with little insulation. Here's how to get ahead of it.

• Find your main water shut-off valve. It's often near the street, by the water meter, or where the water line enters the house. Make sure it turns. If a pipe bursts, shutting off the water fast is the best way to limit damage.
• Wrap exposed pipes. Foam pipe sleeves from the hardware store slide right on. Focus on pipes in the garage, attic, and along exterior walls, and keep the garage door closed when it's cold.
  
  

Outdoor Faucets and Sprinkler Systems

Outdoor plumbing is usually the first to freeze.

• Disconnect garden hoses. A hose left attached traps water in the faucet, which can freeze and crack it. Drain your hoses and store them.
• Cover outdoor faucets. Foam faucet covers are cheap and easy to snap on.
• Winterize your sprinkler system. Texas A&M AgriLife recommends turning off your irrigation controller, shutting off the sprinkler water supply at its isolation valve, and draining above-ground parts like the backflow preventer.
• Insulate the backflow preventer. That's the brass device that sticks out of the ground near your sprinkler line. It sits fully exposed, so wrap it completely with insulation or a fitted cover.

Not sure how to drain your system? A licensed irrigator can handle it before the first freeze.

Checking Your Heating and Safety Alarms

Give your heater some attention before you need it.

• Replace your HVAC filter. A clean filter helps your system run more easily and keeps air flowing.
• Schedule a heating check if it's been a while. Gas furnaces and other fuel-burning appliances can produce carbon monoxide if they aren't working right.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Carbon monoxide has no smell or color, so a working alarm is your warning. If you heat with gas or have a fireplace, this one matters most.
• Give space heaters room. Keep them at least 3 feet from curtains, bedding, and furniture.

Keep Simple Emergency Supplies Ready

In a hard freeze, power outages and icy roads can keep you home for a day or two. Put a few basics in one easy-to-grab bin:

• Flashlights and extra batteries
• Phone chargers or a charged power bank
• Warm blankets
• Bottled water and easy, no-cook snacks
• Any medications your family needs
• Food and supplies for pets

If you own a portable generator, remember this: never run it inside your home, garage, or on a porch. The CDC says to keep generators at least 20 feet from windows, doors, and vents.

What to Do During a Hard Freeze

When the forecast calls for temperatures well below freezing, take these steps the night before:

• Let faucets on outside walls drip slowly. Moving water is less likely to freeze.
• Open cabinet doors under sinks so warm air can reach the pipes.
• Keep your thermostat steady, day and night. If you're traveling, leave the heat on. The Red Cross suggests not setting it below 55 degrees.

If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, a pipe may be frozen. Leave the faucet open and gently warm the pipe with a hair dryer, an electric heating pad, or towels soaked in hot water. Never use an open flame like a torch. If you can't find the frozen spot or it won't thaw, call a licensed plumber.

What to Check After It Warms Up

Some freeze damage doesn't show up until the ice melts. Once temperatures rise:

• Check under sinks, in the garage, and along exterior walls for drips or water stains.
• Look at outdoor faucets, sprinkler lines, and the backflow preventer for leaks or pooling water.
• If a pipe burst, turn off the main water valve, call a plumber, and take photos before cleanup for your insurance company.

A Little Prep Goes a Long Way

Winterizing a home in Texas doesn't take special skills or a big budget. Good North Texas winter home preparation just takes a little attention before the cold shows up. Knock out this list now, and the next freeze will be a cozy night in instead of a scramble.

If you have questions about your home, or you're thinking about your next move in DFW, I'm always happy to help.