Preventing Frozen Water Pipes in Your Home
- December 9, 2025 | Category: Customer Service, Water Efficiency
Do you know where your home’s water shut-off valve is located?
The same natural forces that occasionally trigger cold weather breaks in our water delivery mains can cause pipes to burst in your home.
While your home plumbing—as well as the water service line that runs between the water meter and the house—is the responsibility of the property owner to maintain and repair, we want to help you avoid expensive and wasteful water leaks with these tips:
Before cold weather hits:
- Learn the location of your home’s water shut-off valve. If a pipe breaks, you’ll need to shut off the water to your house to minimize damage. In most single-family homes, the valve is in a concrete box next to your water meter, at your property line either in front of or behind your residence. Learn more on our Your Meter page.
- Make sure everyone in your household knows how to shut off the water.
- Insulate water pipes that may be vulnerable to the cold, such as those along exterior walls and in unheated basements.
- Open the meter box during extreme cold only if necessary to turn water off. Close the lid as quickly as possible, as cold air can freeze the meter.
During a deep freeze:
- Heat all rooms with plumbing fixtures, particularly those with plumbing on outside walls. Open cabinet doors under sinks to let heat in.
- During extreme/prolonged low temps, consider keeping a trickle of water running on a faucet farthest from the place where your water enters the house. A very slow drip will keep water molecules moving, reducing the chance that pipes will freeze. Place a bucket underneath the faucet so the water can be saved for other household uses. This is especially helpful for times when no water use is planned for a longer period, such as overnight.
- Keep your thermostat set above 65 degrees when leaving your house or business for several days.
If you think a pipe is frozen:
- Don’t wait for nature to take its course; thaw the pipe or call a plumber for help.
- If you thaw it yourself, shut off the water using the shut-off valve first, as you don’t want water suddenly gushing from the pipe when it thaws or if it breaks.
- When thawing, slower is better. Use a hair dryer, heat lamp, or space heater on low; never thaw it with an open flame.
Additional resources to stay safe in the cold:
- Winterizing tips for your sprinkler system and home to help you reduce the chance of unwelcome repair surprises in the spring, from Medford Water.
- Extreme cold safety tips from the National Weather Service.