How to Protect Your Pipes During a North Florida Freeze

Why a mild climate makes freezes worse

In colder states, water lines are routed and insulated on the assumption that it will freeze every year. North Florida homes are not built that way. Supply lines run through unconditioned attics, along uninsulated exterior walls, and to hose bibs, outdoor showers and pool equipment with no protection at all.

So when Jacksonville gets a night in the twenties, the failures cluster in predictable places — and they usually show up not during the freeze but the following morning, when the ice thaws and the split starts pouring.

The night before a freeze

This is the whole routine, and it works.

• Disconnect every garden hose — a connected hose traps water in the bib and splits it
• Cover hose bibs with an insulated cover, or wrap them with towels and a plastic bag
• Open cabinet doors under kitchen and bathroom sinks on exterior walls so household heat reaches the pipes
• Let one or two faucets drip slightly on the coldest side of the house — moving water resists freezing
• Insulate any exposed pipe in the attic, garage or crawl space with foam sleeves
• Shut off and drain irrigation, and blow out or shut down pool equipment lines if a hard freeze is forecast
• Keep the thermostat steady overnight rather than letting the house drop

If a pipe freezes but has not burst

No water at a fixture on a cold morning usually means ice in the line. Leave the faucet open so water can escape as it thaws, and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer or towels soaked in hot water, working from the fixture back toward the frozen section.

Never use an open flame or a torch on a pipe. It is a fire risk, it can damage the pipe, and it makes a burst more likely rather than less.

If a pipe bursts

Shut the main water off first — before you look at the damage, before you take photos, before you call anyone. Everything else is recoverable; the water running right now is what does the damage.

Then kill power to any area where water is near outlets or fixtures, move belongings clear, and call us at (904) 862-6927. We answer 24 hours a day and will walk you through the shutoff on the phone if you are not sure where it is.

Afterward, check for the leaks you did not see

A freeze can crack a joint without producing an obvious spray. In the week after a hard freeze, watch for a water bill that jumps, damp spots on ceilings or walls, weak pressure at one fixture, or the sound of running water with everything off. Those are the quiet failures that get discovered months later as a repair bill several times larger.