HOUSTON \u2013 A blast of Arctic air is expected to move into Texas late this week, putting the Houston area at risk for freezing temperatures. <\/p>\n
While there\u2019s only a slight chance of snow, plumbers say there\u2019s a much greater concern homeowners and renters should prepare for now: frozen and burst pipes.<\/p>\n
Experts say a few simple steps taken ahead of the freeze could prevent thousands of dollars in damage.<\/p>\n
Why pipes are at risk<\/p>\n
When temperatures dip into the low 30s, or even the 20s, exposed pipes can freeze quickly, especially those outside the home.<\/p>\n
\u201cDefinitely go to Home Depot and get some insulation,\u201d said Nathan Renfro with Texas Plumbing. \u201cWrap it around the pipe, wrap it up, and you\u2019re good to go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Renfro recommends foam pipe insulation and hose bib covers, which are inexpensive and easy to install. If those aren\u2019t available, household items can also help.<\/p>\n
Frozen pipes. (Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.)<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are bags for your hose bibs,\u201d Renfro said, adding that towels can work in a pinch, as long as they\u2019re protected from moisture. \u201cThe biggest thing with the towel is to remember to put a trash bag over it.\u201d<\/p>\n
The trash bag helps keep the towel dry, which improves insulation against freezing rain and wind.<\/p>\n
Location matters<\/p>\n
Where you live can impact how quickly pipes freeze.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn neighborhood areas like this, the houses are closer together, so there\u2019s not going to be as much wind,\u201d Renfro explained. \u201cBut if you live out in Alvin or one of the surrounding areas where it\u2019s less populated, the wind chill factor is going to pick up a lot, and it will freeze your pipes twice as quick.\u201d<\/p>\n
Homes in open or rural areas may need extra protection due to increased exposure.<\/p>\n
What if you can\u2019t cover your pipes?<\/p>\n
If insulation isn\u2019t an option, plumbers say shutting off your water supply is the next best solution.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe second best option is to go out to the street at the meter box, turn off the valve, and let all the water from inside drain out,\u201d Renfro said. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to worry about anything then, because there\u2019s no water in the pipe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Homeowners should locate their meter box ahead of time, before temperatures drop.<\/p>\n
Apartment dwellers: One simple step<\/p>\n
Renters and apartment residents may not have access to exterior pipes or shutoff valves, but there\u2019s still something they can do.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you drip, you won\u2019t have a rip in the pipe,\u201d Renfro said.<\/p>\n
Allowing faucets to drip slightly keeps water moving and reduces the chance of freezing.<\/p>\n
Protect now, save later<\/p>\n
Plumbers say winterizing a home can cost less than $10, but repairing burst pipes and water damage can cost thousands. Supplies like pipe insulation and hose bib covers often sell out quickly ahead of freezes, so experts recommend preparing now.<\/p>\n
A small investment today could prevent a costly emergency tomorrow.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"HOUSTON \u2013 A blast of Arctic air is expected to move into Texas late this week, putting the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":131372,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[12219,56364,4434,10799,56,58,57],"class_list":{"0":"post-131371","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-houston","8":"tag-arctic-blast","9":"tag-arctic-temperatures","10":"tag-freeze","11":"tag-freezing-temperatures","12":"tag-houston","13":"tag-houston-headlines","14":"tag-houston-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131371","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=131371"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/131371\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/131372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=131371"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=131371"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=131371"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}