Dallas, TX
Frozen pipes in Dallas
Updated · Editorial team; not yet technically reviewed
Short answer
Dallas Water Utilities asks homeowners to wrap exposed pipes, remove hoses and cover outdoor faucets before a freeze, and to drip hot and cold water inside during a hard freeze. You're responsible for finding and operating your private shutoff valve, often near an outside faucet. City ordinance requires rain and freeze sensors on automatic sprinkler systems.
What's different in Dallas
Before a freeze, DWU advises wrapping exposed or unheated pipes, including in attics, and draining and removing hoses from outside faucets, then insulating them with covers or cloth. [1]
During a hard freeze, let hot and cold water drip slowly from inside faucets and open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls. [1]
Automatic sprinkler systems must have rain and freeze sensors under City of Dallas ordinance, so controllers don't run below freezing. [1]
Homeowners are responsible for locating and operating their private shutoff valve, often near an outside faucet; for a water emergency, call 311. [1]
Leaving home during a freeze
Shut off the private valve
Turn off water at your private shutoff.
Drain outside faucets
So no water sits in exposed pipe.
Keep some heat on
Pipes in exterior walls still need warmth.
Dallas slab homes
Supply lines in exterior walls and attics freeze first; a burst often shows as water from a ceiling. See what to do after a burst pipe and how to thaw frozen pipes. After repairs, a DWU leak adjustment may apply.
What Dallas homeowners usually check next
- SymptomNo water in the house
Common questions
Should I drip faucets in a Dallas freeze?
Yes, DWU advises dripping hot and cold water from inside faucets during a hard freeze.
Where is my Dallas private shutoff valve?
Often near an outside faucet close to the house; finding it is the owner's job.
Do Dallas sprinkler systems need freeze sensors?
Yes, city ordinance requires rain and freeze sensors on automatic systems.
Who do I call for a Dallas water emergency?
311.
How should I prepare outdoor faucets in Dallas?
Remove hoses, drain them and cover with insulated covers or cloth.
What if I'm leaving my Dallas house during a freeze?
Turn off the private shutoff and drain outside faucets.
Do attic pipes in Dallas need wrapping?
Yes, DWU includes attic pipes among those to wrap.
Does Dallas want hot and cold dripped, or just cold?
DWU advises letting both hot and cold drip slowly during a hard freeze.
Do Dallas irrigation controllers need a freeze cutoff?
Yes; the required freeze sensor stops the controller from running below freezing.
Why do Dallas pipes burst in ceilings?
Attic and exterior-wall lines freeze first in slab homes.
More plumbing help in Dallas
- Water Heater Replacement in DallasReplacing a water heater in Dallas: why a permit is required even for like-for-like swaps, who can obtain it, the homestead homeowner exception, and the inspection.
- Drain Cleaning in DallasDrain cleaning in Dallas: why grease drives clogs, the city's Cease the Grease program and 28 grease drop-off stations, and when cabling or jetting fits.
- Water bill suddenly high in DallasDallas leak adjustments: customers pay for leaked water, but DWU can bill excess use at the lowest rate for up to three months, once a year.
- Backflow Testing in DallasDallas backflow rules: lawn irrigation assemblies don't need annual tests, only when new, repaired or replaced; high-hazard assemblies need annual registered tests.
- Water Line Repair in DallasDallas Water Utilities' service line inventory: how materials were identified, letters to 225,000 unknown lines, and the GIS lookup.
- Toilet Installation in DallasDallas Water Utilities' New Throne for Your Home: up to two free high-efficiency toilets or $90 rebates for replacing pre-1994 toilets. Check current status.
- Frozen Pipe Repair: the full guideHow to tell if a pipe is frozen, how to thaw it safely, what not to do, and how to protect vulnerable pipes before the next hard freeze.
- Plumbing in DallasLocal water, housing and climate conditions, and the calls Dallas homes need most.
How other cities handle it
- Frozen pipe and water line help in St. PaulFrozen pipes in St. Paul: what Saint Paul Regional Water Services covers, why frozen meter damage is billed to owners, prevention steps, and what to do first.
- Frozen water lines in AnchorageFrozen service lines in Anchorage: AWWU's rule that customers thaw lines from the main, the key box and thaw wire you must keep exposed, and what AWWU maintains.
- Frozen water service lines in MinneapolisFrozen water lines in Minneapolis: owners own the line from the main to the meter, who pays to thaw it, the City's contractor list and emergency number.
- Frozen pipes and water meters in BuffaloFrozen meters in Buffalo: the Water Board rule that owners protect meters from freezing, charges for damage, shutoff if unpaid, and prevention.
- Frozen pipes and meters in PhiladelphiaFrozen pipes in Philadelphia: keep the meter area above 40°F, trickle a faucet, shut off outdoor lines, check neighbors first.
- Frozen pipes in San AntonioFrozen pipes in San Antonio: pipes past the SAWS meter are the owner's, how to shut water off at the meter, SAWS freeze tips, and what not to do.
- Frozen pipes in Houston: why the city says don't dripFrozen pipes in Houston: Houston Public Works' prep tips, why it has advised against dripping faucets (pumps, not towers), and shutting off and draining instead.
Sources (1)
- Dallas Water Utilities, Winter preparation bill insert · checked 2026-10-03