How to prep your Austin home for a deep freeze

We know from the experience of 2021's snowpocalypse that it's no joke when Texas freezes over. Here are five essential things to do to prepare your home before the winter freeze arrives on Thursday.

When temperatures get cold enough and/or you lose power, you need to be prepared for the real possibility that your water pipes may freeze and then burst or leak as they thaw out. Leaks of this type can be severe and can quickly flood your home causing thousands of dollars in damage. If you have a leak you can stop it by turning off the water at the main city water line coming into your home.  

If you don’t have a water shut off tool available, you can use a crescent wrench and a large screw driver that you slip through the hole in the top of the wrench handle to form a T.  Channel locks may also work.

In the event your pipes do freeze, watch your walls, ceilings, floors, and sink/shower areas for potential leaks and wet spots as temperatures rise and the pipes begin to thaw. If you discover a leak, act quickly to shut off the water at the main water line at the street. This often requires turning the shut off valve 90 or 180 degrees.

Your valve may be rusted or difficult to shut off. If you have a water emergency, you can call Austin Water at 512-972-1000 to request an emergency shut off at your meter. However, in bad weather many city services, including Austin Water, experience a high volume of calls and there may be delays sending out a crew to assist. As a back up, you can try dialing 311.

If you are going to be away during the upcoming freeze, Austin Water recommends that you pre-emptively turn off your water at the meter.

IF YOU DO END UP WITH A WATER LEAK:  Once the leak is (hopefully) under control, reach out to a plumber immediately to arrange for repairs. During peak times of need, most plumbers experience a significant backlog with long waiting lists. Get in queue as quickly as you can. If you don't have a trusted plumber, we recommend Melvin at S&D Plumbing. Next, contact your insurance company to see what coverage is available for any damage.

If you have any exposed pipes in an unheated area, such as an attic or garage, wrap them in insulation to protect them from freezing. You can purchase styrofoam tubes similar to those shown above at most home improvement stores.While you are insulating your exposed pipes, also be sure to turn off your outside faucets, remove all hoses, and wrap the hose bib or faucets with towels or an insulator. Likewise, turn off and drain your automatic sprinkler system, and drain any water from your swimming pool supply lines.

There was such high demand for water heaters following the 2021 ice storm that some folks were without hot water for a very long time... As a precaution you may want to drain your exterior water heater in advance. We aren't licensed plumbers, so you should check the manufacturer recommendations for both your tanked and tankless water heaters.

If any of your faucets are located on an exterior wall, you may also want to leave those faucets on a slow drip so that water continues to move through them. Moving water is less likely to freeze. Place a pitcher or other receptacle under the faucet to capture the dripping water for future use; more on that below.

If you will be going away during the upcoming cold weather snap, Austin Water also recommends that you leave the heat on in your home set to a temperature no lower than 65° F.

For starters, fill up pitchers, buckets, and containers, including the bathtub, with water. Make sure to collect some water in drink-safe containers as that is the water you will use for drinking and cooking if the water freezes. Austin Water suggests you have at least 1 gallon per person per day for at least 7 days.

Remember too that the toilets will not flush without running water, so you will also want some water available to manually fill the toilet tank. This is where the buckets and bathtub come in handy...

Make a run to the store and make sure you have crucial items on hand to get you through a few days without water or power, like:

• Snacks and foods that are shelf-stable,
• Salt or de-icer to help thaw the ice on steps and walkways,
• Flashlights and extra batteries,
• Pre-charged external batteries for cell phones and laptops,
• Any medications you, a family member, or pet may need,
• Pet food, and
• Wine, lots of wine (or in my case, whiskey).

If the power goes out, be sure to sign up for the City of Austin text updates so that you'll be alerted when the power is restored.

HOPEFULLY THESE ARE ONLY PRECAUTIONS!

Our fingers and toes are crossed that the electric grid stays up through this week's teen temperatures and that no one loses power or water. If you find yourself in need, please reach out. I'm not that handy, but I'm always eager to help where I can.

Stay warm. Stay safe. Stay healthy