Protecting Burleson Plumbing Before the First Hard Freeze

November 9, 2026 — Burleson, TX

Don still tells a story about a Burleson homeowner who had a slab leak repaired a few years back. The plumber who fixed it rerouted the broken line overhead, through the attic, which is a common and perfectly good way to get water around a bad pipe under the slab. Then a hard freeze came through. The attic line froze and split, and because the pipe was still frozen solid, nothing leaked. Nobody had any idea anything was wrong. It wasn’t until the weather warmed up and the ice in that line thawed that the water started running — and the first sign of trouble was the kitchen ceiling coming down while she was sitting at the table.

That’s the part of a freeze most people don’t expect. Pipes don’t leak while they’re frozen. They leak when they thaw, sometimes hours or days later, often when nobody is watching. A few minutes of prep before the first hard freeze is the cheapest plumbing work you’ll ever do.

Which Pipes Freeze First in a Burleson Home

Most homes around here are built on a slab, so the water lines under the floor are well protected. The pipes that freeze are the ones exposed to outside air:

• Attic lines. Water lines and rerouted lines that run through the attic sit in the coldest part of the house. This is exactly what happened in Don’s story. If you’ve had a slab leak repaired with an overhead reroute, know where that line runs.
• Pipes in exterior walls. Kitchen sinks and bathroom vanities on an outside wall are common trouble spots, especially in corners and behind cabinets.
• Outside faucets and hose bibs. Older non–frost-free spigots can split inside the wall without showing any damage until spring.
• Garage and laundry lines. Water heaters and washer connections in an unheated garage get cold fast.
• The line coming into the house. Any exposed section of the main water line between the meter and the house.

If you’re not sure where your water lines run, we’ve traced plenty of them — see a wall leak we traced back to an attic water line.

What to Do Before the First Hard Freeze

• Disconnect garden hoses. A hose left attached traps water in the spigot, even on a frost-free model. More on that on our outside faucet repair page.
• Cover outside faucets. An insulated faucet cover from the hardware store is inexpensive and worth it on older spigots.
• Insulate what you can reach. Foam pipe insulation on attic lines and garage lines makes a real difference.
• Find your main water shutoff now. Don’t wait until water is pouring through a ceiling. Make sure it turns and that everyone in the house knows where it is. Our guide on how to find and test your main water shutoff valve walks you through it.

Not sure whether your outside faucets or attic lines are ready for winter? Call 817-447-2654 — phones are answered 24/7 and we’ll get someone out to take a look.

On the Night of a Hard Freeze

• Let faucets on exterior walls drip slightly, hot and cold. Moving water is much harder to freeze.
• Open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls so warm air can reach the pipes.
• Keep the thermostat steady overnight rather than turning it way down.
• If you’re traveling, leave the heat on. Consider shutting off the main water and draining the lines if you’ll be gone during a long cold spell.

If a Pipe Freezes or Bursts

If a faucet slows to a trickle or stops during a freeze, a line is probably frozen. Leave that faucet open so water can move once it thaws, and keep an eye on the ceilings and walls near where that line runs. Never use an open flame to thaw a pipe.

If a pipe bursts, shut off the main water first. That one step is the difference between a pipe repair and a ceiling, flooring, and drywall job. Then call a plumber. If the leak is anywhere near a slab line or you can’t tell where the water is coming from, our leak detection work starts right there.

Burleson Plumbers Since 1985

Dependable Plumbing Company has been fixing frozen and broken pipes around Burleson for over 40 years. We handle burst water lines, outside faucet replacements, attic line repairs, and the general plumbing repair that follows a hard freeze. Call 817-447-2654 — phones are answered 24/7.

Dependable Plumbing Company — serving Burleson, Alvarado, Crowley, Everman, Joshua, Keene — and surrounding South DFW communities since 1985.