# Dallas pipes in a hard freeze: what to do before and after > Dallas pipes in a hard freeze: what February 2021 showed about attic and exterior-wall lines, what to check after a cold snap and when to repipe. Get ready. URL: https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/blog/getting-dallas-pipes-through-a-hard-freeze/ Dallas doesn't freeze often, which is exactly why so many attic and exterior-wall water lines aren't ready when it does. What to do before a cold snap, what to check after, and when repeated freeze damage is really a routing problem. Last Updated: November 10, 2026 Most of the year nobody in Dallas thinks about frozen pipes, and then a cold front parks over North Texas for a week. Dallas pipes in a hard freeze fail where the house is least protected: attic lines near the eaves, supply pipes in exterior walls and hose bibs. Freezes are rare enough here that many houses were never built with them in mind. A few steps before a cold snap, and a careful check after, prevent most of the damage. [Fullbore Dallas Repiping](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/) replaces water supply lines in Dallas homes, including [PEX repiping](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/pex-repiping/) that reroutes lines through the attic. This post covers what a Dallas freeze does to water lines, what to check afterward, and when repeated damage points to a different route rather than another repair. ## Remember February 2021? The National Weather Service Fort Worth office’s [summary of the February 2021 winter event](https://www.weather.gov/fwd/Feb-2021-WinterEvent?lv=true) records two long stretches at or below freezing at DFW Airport: 93 hours from February 9 to 13, then 139 consecutive hours from the evening of February 13 to noon on February 19. The low reached minus 2 degrees Fahrenheit on February 16, and the high on February 15 was colder than the record low for that date. The length mattered more than the low. Attic and wall-cavity pipes that ride out one cold night can freeze solid over several days, and many broke when the ice thawed and pressure came back. ## Which of your pipes are most exposed? ### Attic runs Many Dallas slab houses have supply lines overhead, either from the original build or an earlier repipe. Lines laid over the top of the ceiling insulation, strapped high on rafters or run out toward the eaves and soffit vents sit in what’s nearly outdoor air. Our [attic routing and freeze protection guide](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/guide/attic-pipe-routing-and-freeze-protection/) explains how a protected route stays low and on the warm side of the insulation. ### Exterior walls and hose bibs Kitchen sinks under windows, laundry boxes on outside walls and hose bibs all put water next to the cold side of the house. A hose left connected traps water in the bib. Older pier-and-beam houses add crawlspace lines exposed to wind through the foundation vents. ## Before the cold arrives - Disconnect garden hoses and cover hose bibs with insulated covers. - Open sink cabinet doors on exterior walls so room heat reaches the pipes. - Let a slow drip run at fixtures fed by exposed lines, unless the City asks residents to conserve. - Find your main shutoff and make sure it closes. - Keep the thermostat steady overnight instead of setting it back. > If a pipe bursts > > Close your main shutoff right away, and turn off power to any wet electrical circuit at the breaker if you can reach it from a dry spot. If the house valve won’t close, call Dallas Water Utilities about the meter. ## After the thaw When temperatures climb, check before you assume all is well. With every fixture and appliance off, watch the leak indicator on the water meter; if it moves, water is going somewhere. Then look at the ceilings under the attic route, the walls behind exterior-wall fixtures and each hose bib. Run each fixture hot and cold and listen. A split in PEX or a failed fitting may only leak once the ice melts. Copper often splits along its length. Polybutylene and brittle CPVC can crack at fittings that were already weak. Our [pipe identification guide](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/guide/identify-water-pipe-material/) helps you tell which you have. ## Does PEX survive a freeze better than copper? Somewhat. PEX can stretch as ice forms, so the tubing often survives a freeze that would split copper. That isn’t the same as freeze-proof: fittings, manifolds and valves can still fail, and ice still blocks flow. Copper carries cold faster and splits more readily. Either way, the route and the insulation matter more than the material; our [PEX vs copper guide](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/guide/pex-vs-copper/) compares them. ## When freeze damage means it’s time to reroute One split at a hose bib is a repair. A pattern is different. If the same attic run has broken in more than one freeze, if exposed lines run along the eaves with nowhere better to go, or if the freeze hit [polybutylene](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/polybutylene-pipe-replacement/) or [galvanized](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/galvanized-pipe-replacement/) pipe that was already leaking, rerouting or a broader repipe may be the better answer. Our [repair or repipe guide](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/guide/repair-or-repipe/) walks through that decision, and our [water shutoffs guide](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/guide/repiping-water-shutoffs/) covers what living through a repipe looks like. ## If the cold keeps finding the same pipes If every freeze finds the same lines, [get an estimate](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/contact/). We look at the attic route, the insulation depth and the exterior-wall fixtures, and tell you whether moving the lines would end the cycle. Our [Dallas home repiping guide](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/guide/dallas-home-repiping-guide/) covers the rest of the job. ## Questions about this post ### Should I drip faucets in Dallas during a hard freeze? A slow drip at fixtures on exterior walls or fed by attic lines keeps water moving and relieves pressure if ice forms, which lowers the chance of a split. During long freezes the City may also ask residents to conserve water, so follow any Dallas Water Utilities guidance at the time and drip only the most exposed fixtures. ### How do I check for hidden pipe damage after a Dallas freeze? With every fixture and appliance off, look at the leak indicator on the Dallas Water Utilities meter. If it moves, water is going somewhere. Then check the ceilings under the attic route, the walls behind exterior-wall fixtures and the hose bibs. A split often leaks only after the ice thaws and pressure comes back. ### Does freeze damage mean my Dallas house needs a full repipe? Usually not. One split at a hose bib or one attic fitting is a repair. Repeated freeze breaks on the same exposed routes, or a freeze on top of old galvanized or polybutylene pipe that already leaks, can make rerouting or a broader repipe the better long-term answer. The pattern decides, not one cold night. Want this answered for your house? On the first visit we trace your lines from the main shutoff to every fixture and show you what the work would involve. Call (469) 846-9377 ## Keep reading - Learn [Repiping through attic space in Dallas: how should new lines handle heat and freezes?](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/guide/attic-pipe-routing-and-freeze-protection/)Getting your water lines out of the slab usually means putting them in the attic. That solves one problem and raises two more, July heat and February cold, and the route, support and insulation have to answer both. - Decision Guide [PEX vs copper pipes: which suits a Dallas repipe?](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/guide/pex-vs-copper/)Both are allowed under Dallas's plumbing code, and neither wins in every house. Your route, your attic, your fixtures and what you care about most decide which fits. - Decision Guide [Should you repair or repipe a house with leaking pipes?](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/guide/repair-or-repipe/)One leak is a repair. A pattern of leaks on the same pipe is a decision. Here's how to tell which one your Dallas house has, and what sits between the two. - Learn [Water shutoff during repiping: how long will the water be off?](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/guide/repiping-water-shutoffs/)Most of a repipe happens with your old system still running. The water goes off for the cutovers, and how we stage those decides whether the house stays livable. Here's how we build a shutoff plan. - Learn [The Dallas home repiping guide](https://fullboredallasrepiping.com/guide/dallas-home-repiping-guide/)Leaks that keep coming back, rusty water, a shower that dies when the washer runs: what is going on in your pipes, and how we plan, permit, build and close up a repipe in a Dallas house.