The biggest risks when temperatures drop below freezing in the Fort Worth area are burst pipes, frozen or iced-over outdoor equipment, and a furnace that hasn’t been checked since last winter. A few hours of prep before a hard freeze can be the difference between a quiet, warm night and a flooded utility closet or a no-heat call at 2 a.m.
Why North Texas homes are more vulnerable than you’d think
Homes in this region aren’t built the way homes in colder states are. Pipes often run through exterior walls, attics, or garages with little insulation, because deep freezes used to be rare. When a hard freeze does come through, those pipes have almost no protection. The same goes for outdoor AC condensers, exposed hose bibs, and irrigation backflow devices — none of them were designed with a Northern winter in mind.
Pipes: the number one freeze risk
Water expands as it freezes, and that pressure is what splits a pipe — usually the break doesn’t show up until the ice thaws and water starts running. The pipes most at risk are:
- Any pipe in an exterior wall, attic, crawlspace, or unheated garage
- Outdoor hose bibs and the short run of pipe just behind them
- Pipes under sinks on exterior walls, especially in additions or older sections of a house
Before a freeze: disconnect garden hoses, cover outdoor spigots, and open cabinet doors under exterior-wall sinks so warm air can reach the pipes. A slow drip from the faucet farthest from your main shutoff keeps water moving and relieves pressure buildup. If you’ve had a slab leak before, or notice warm spots on the floor or a water bill that jumped for no clear reason, that’s worth having looked at before cold weather adds more stress to the line.
Your heating system
A furnace that’s been sitting idle for eight or nine months is exactly the equipment you’re relying on when a freeze hits. Weak heat, a burning smell on first startup, a pilot or ignition that won’t hold, or a thermostat that seems to be fighting the system are all signs worth checking before the cold arrives, not during it. If you have a carbon monoxide detector, confirm it has a working battery — it’s your early warning if a heat exchanger has cracked or a vent is blocked.
If your system is older and has needed more repairs each of the last few winters, it’s worth understanding what replacement actually involves before you’re forced into a decision during a cold snap. Our page on knowing when it’s time to replace a system covers the signs that apply to heating as much as cooling.
Outdoor equipment and water lines
Your outdoor unit doesn’t need to be covered or wrapped, but ice accumulation on and around it can damage the coil and fan. Keep the area clear of ice buildup from nearby drainage or gutters. If you have a heat pump, remember it runs through the winter — covering it while it is in use blocks the airflow it needs and causes the damage you were trying to prevent. If you have an irrigation system, the backflow preventer above ground is one of the most freeze-prone pieces of equipment on a property — insulating or wrapping it is standard practice before a hard freeze in this area.
Water heaters
A water heater in a garage or unconditioned space works harder in cold weather and is more likely to show a weak spot in an aging tank. If yours is more than ten years old, a drop in temperature is often when a slow leak finally becomes an obvious one. Catching that before a freeze, rather than during one, means you’re not without hot water in the middle of a cold week.
For property managers and light commercial buildings
Rooftop units, exposed piping, and boiler systems on commercial and institutional properties carry the same freeze risks as residential systems, just at a larger scale and with more at stake if something fails. Quarterly preventive maintenance ahead of winter is the most reliable way to catch a weak component before it becomes an emergency call across a multi-unit portfolio. If you manage boiler-heated properties, our page on boiler servicing for landlords is worth a look.
A simple freeze-prep checklist
- Disconnect hoses and cover exterior spigots
- Open cabinet doors under exterior-wall sinks
- Let faucets farthest from the main shutoff drip during a hard freeze
- Confirm your furnace starts cleanly and holds heat before the first cold night
- Check or replace the battery in your carbon monoxide detector
- Insulate or wrap any above-ground backflow preventer
- Know where your main water shutoff is, in case a pipe does break
Pre-freeze plumbing checks
Most of what fails in a hard freeze is plumbing rather than heating, and most of it is preventable in about an hour’s work. Three things are worth booking before the first cold front: a pre-freeze plumbing inspection covering exposed and exterior-wall lines, wrapping and insulating any above-ground backflow preventer, and a slab leak check if your property has a history of one or is showing signs now — warm spots on the floor, a water bill that jumped without explanation, or the sound of water running when everything is off. If you only do one thing on this list, make it this one.
Getting ready before the cold hits
We offer seasonal tune-ups and maintenance through our Silver Shield Club for homeowners who’d rather have a system checked on a schedule than find out something’s wrong during a freeze. For properties with multiple systems, we also provide quarterly preventive maintenance and equipment condition reviews so you have a clear picture of what needs attention before winter, not after. Repairs we complete carry a one-year labor warranty, and our phone line is answered around the clock with same-day dispatch for emergencies.
Our HVAC work is performed under a TDLR Class A contractor license and our plumbing work under a Texas Master Plumber license. We serve Fort Worth, Dallas, Arlington, Keller, Watauga, North Richland Hills, Hurst, Bedford, Grapevine, and Denton from our Haltom City location, and you can read what customers have said on our customer reviews page. If you’re comparing contractors before committing to freeze prep work, our page on choosing a trustworthy HVAC company walks through what to look for.
To book a pre-freeze plumbing inspection, backflow preventer wrapping, a slab leak check, or a heating system check before the next cold front, call us at (682) 268-4077.