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Seasonal tips · October 7, 2026

Before the first freeze: a 9-step plumbing checklist

Hoses, sprinklers, exposed pipes and the main shut-off: nine things to do this fall so a cold night does not end with a burst pipe.

Frozen pipes are one of the most common winter plumbing emergencies, and most of the prevention takes an afternoon. Work through this list before the first hard freeze.

1. Disconnect and drain garden hoses

A hose left attached traps water in the faucet. Greeley, Colorado’s water utility warns that a single hard overnight freeze can then burst the faucet or the pipe behind it. The Red Cross advises removing, draining and storing hoses.

2. Shut off and drain outdoor faucets

Close the indoor valves that feed outdoor hose bibs, then open the outside faucet to let it drain, as the Red Cross recommends.

3. Winterize the sprinkler system

Englewood, Colorado advises turning off and draining sprinkler systems before the first hard freeze, when overnight temperatures dip below 28 degrees F. Lines can be drained manually, automatically or blown out with compressed air. Gresham, Oregon also reminds owners to winterize the backflow device on the system.

4. Find the pipes most at risk

Bellevue, Washington Utilities lists outdoor faucets and pipes in unheated attics, garages and crawl spaces as the most vulnerable.

5. Insulate exposed pipes

Pipe sleeves or UL-listed heat tape can help insulate water pipes, the Red Cross says.

6. Keep the heat steady

Keep the thermostat at the same temperature day and night during cold weather, and if you will be away, leave the heat on and set no lower than 55 degrees F (Red Cross).

7. Open cabinet doors on cold nights

Opening kitchen and bathroom cabinets lets warmer air reach pipes on outside walls.

8. Find your main shut-off now

Bellevue notes the main shut-off is commonly in the basement, the garage, or outdoors by the foundation, often near the front faucet. If a pipe breaks, close it immediately. Gresham, Oregon advises knowing where it is and how to turn it off before you need it.

9. Know what to do if a pipe freezes

Keep the faucet open and warm the pipe with a hair dryer or heating pad – never an open flame. Our frozen pipes guide covers thawing and what to do if a pipe bursts.

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Related guides

Frozen pipes: how to prevent them and thaw them safelyA frozen pipe can split and flood a home when it thaws. Here is how to keep pipes from freezing, how to thaw one safely, and what to do if one bursts.Sump pumps: how to test one and keep the basement dryA sump pump is the last line of defense for a basement. Most fail quietly, so the time to check yours is before the next big storm.How to find a hidden water leakA higher water bill or the sound of water running when nothing is on are the usual first clues. Your water meter can tell you in two hours whether you have a leak.

Sources

  1. American Red Cross – Frozen pipes
  2. City of Englewood, CO Utilities – Winterize your sprinklers
  3. City of Greeley, CO Water and Sewer – Time to winterize
  4. City of Bellevue, WA Utilities – Prevent frozen pipes
  5. City of Gresham, OR – Winter preparation for water pipes

Published October 7, 2026 by the Plumbers Pages editorial team. General information, not professional advice. More from the blog · Editorial policy

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