I just want to avoid problems. This cold snap is going to be potentially about 8-10F colder than anything I've experienced in my current home, so I am trying to decide how to avoid any problems.

Pipes are fairly well insulated. I know to drip the faucets during the hardest cold to help prevent a burst pipe.

I'm curious about aerated septic system sprinklers and heads. I figure the water coming out will be warm enough to keep it freezing up, but wondering if I should cover them with a bucket or something over the coldest night.

Also, vehicle windshield sprayer reservoirs. Most of the fluid we use is 32F in Texas. I'm going to guess at 10F it freezes and expands.

I'm pretty sure I have good antifreeze in the tractor radiator, so it should be OK.

What about water inside the pool pump outside? If I have it off, might that cause issues?

My folks reminded my to drain the travel trailer also. Water in those pipes can break them also.

My pool pump has freeze protection but I plan on just running it continuously at a low rpm. Have heat lamps in the well house and all of the faucets covered.

Our water lines are run through the attic so that has me a little concerned. May drip a faucet or two inside the house at night....I dunno if that'll be necessary or not but like you said this is not normal Texas cold.

Open up cabinets to exterior wall faucets and drip

I always cover my spigots with the Styrofoam covers every winter. But I went and got rolls of fiberglass pipe insulation and wrapped the spigots in those and then put on the Styrofoam covers

I have gas for the generator. But we've only used the generator to run fridges and freezers during warm weather power outages. Not sure what I can use the generator for this time if I need it.

I Set the pool pump to run 24 hours a day. Now praying we don't lose power

Someone had a good idea on another thread to set your washer or dishwasher to go off in the middle of the night to use some hot water when it is normally not used. It's not going to circulate through all the pipes but at least it's drawing hot water through some

I have three space heaters to use as needed.

Marooned1994 said:

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My pool pump has freeze protection but I plan on just running it continuously at a low rpm. Have heat lamps in the well house and all of the faucets covered.

Our water lines are run through the attic so that has me a little concerned. May drip a faucet or two inside the house at night....I dunno if that'll be necessary or not but like you said this is not normal Texas cold.

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What city?

One that people don't think about is toilets on an exterior wall. If someone usually wakes up in the middle of the night to use it, it's not a problem. But if one isn't being used, the line can freeze. Putting something like some foil folded over itself a couple of times and between the flapper and the tank will allow the tank to leak and allow the tank to refill.

So I think the only water sitting in our TT is in the black water tank. Should that be ok considering it should have room to expand in the tank?

Definitely drip faucets, on exterior walls and one upstairs even if not on an exterior wall. The line to the upstairs may be on the exterior wall.

Maybe run your heat a couple degrees higher.

Last time we had one of these I saw a lot of busted fire sprinkler line problems. No way to run water through them. Not expert enough to know if or how you can drain them.
Worth looking into this If you have a fire system.

If you have a water line freeze up, open the valve and pray for when it thaws. Last time my upstairs and exteriors froze. Got lucky and nothing broke.

Not trying to kill them. We typically let it get really cold at night because we like it cold to sleep. But that is when the day will warm it up or at least not make it colder. I'll keep it a little more consistent in these conditions to offset the extreme outside cold. That make more sense?

What do I need to do with my sprinkler system?

Carl Hungus said:

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MouthBQ98 said:

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I just want to avoid problems. This cold snap is going to be potentially about 8-10F colder than anything I've experienced in my current home, so I am trying to decide how to avoid any problems.

Pipes are fairly well insulated. I know to drip the faucets during the hardest cold to help prevent a burst pipe.

I'm curious about aerated septic system sprinklers and heads. I figure the water coming out will be warm enough to keep it freezing up, but wondering if I should cover them with a bucket or something over the coldest night.

Also, vehicle windshield sprayer reservoirs. Most of the fluid we use is 32F in Texas. I'm going to guess at 10F it freezes and expands.

I'm pretty sure I have good antifreeze in the tractor radiator, so it should be OK.

What about water inside the pool pump outside? If I have it off, might that cause issues?

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For sure keep your pool running 24 hours during the freeze

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What speed or does it matter? The freeze protect seems to run at high but I would prefer low

Absolute said:

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Not trying to kill them. We typically let it get really cold at night because we like it cold to sleep. But that is when the day will warm it up or at least not make it colder. I'll keep it a little more consistent in these conditions to offset the extreme outside cold. That make more sense?

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I understand completely. It's people that will overreact and strain the grid.

Turn off the main valve

For those of us that going to be down in the low teens/possibly single digits Monday night, which flower bed plants should be covered?

I plan on taking all potted plants into the garage, but what about the in ground plants? I'm sure the flowering stuff will be toast, but what about Hawthorne bushes? Will towels or blankets be enough? Or should I even bother?

Probably don't need to turn up water heater in garage closet, it should be warm enough?

Texasyankee said:

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Put isopropyl alcohol in your washer fluid tank on your vehicles to prevent freezing. It's the same thing they put in the "winterized" washer fluid.

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Even if garaged?

AggieAces06 said:

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For those of us that going to be down in the low teens/possibly single digits Monday night, which flower bed plants should be covered?

I plan on taking all potted plants into the garage, but what about the in ground plants? I'm sure the flowering stuff will be toast, but what about Hawthorne bushes? Will towels or blankets be enough? Or should I even bother?

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Blankets aren't going to protect much when you're in the single digits for hours. It helps when a little under freezing by trapping the plant and soil's radiant heat to keep foliage from freezing.

My grandfather used to do that with his tomato plants to get them to produce year round.

I may have to dig out the Christmas lights this weekend...

JesusQuintana said:

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Carl Hungus said:

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MouthBQ98 said:

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I just want to avoid problems. This cold snap is going to be potentially about 8-10F colder than anything I've experienced in my current home, so I am trying to decide how to avoid any problems.

Pipes are fairly well insulated. I know to drip the faucets during the hardest cold to help prevent a burst pipe.

I'm curious about aerated septic system sprinklers and heads. I figure the water coming out will be warm enough to keep it freezing up, but wondering if I should cover them with a bucket or something over the coldest night.

Also, vehicle windshield sprayer reservoirs. Most of the fluid we use is 32F in Texas. I'm going to guess at 10F it freezes and expands.

I'm pretty sure I have good antifreeze in the tractor radiator, so it should be OK.

What about water inside the pool pump outside? If I have it off, might that cause issues?

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For sure keep your pool running 24 hours during the freeze

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What speed or does it matter? The freeze protect seems to run at high but I would prefer low

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Low might be fine, but why take the chance? It's more money but not as much as repairing busted pipes

Pooh Ah said:

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Incandescent Christmas tree lights ought to help provide a little warmth under the cover with the plants.

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As above:

You're gonna give utility operators a stroke! (Unnecessary power usage)


But the Clark Griswold approach might work.

barnyard1996 said:

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These are known to pop on sprinkler systems Make sure they are insulated.

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I'm just putting on U Haul blankets on all my outdoor faucets, think that'll work?

Also wondering about hot water heater in garage?

And turn off sprinkler of course

Willy Wonka said:

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barnyard1996 said:

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These are known to pop on sprinkler systems Make sure they are insulated.

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I'm just putting on U Haul blankets on all my outdoor faucets, think that'll work?

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Probably. I am turning my water off at night and draining the lines.

barnyard1996 said:

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These are known to pop on sprinkler systems Make sure they are insulated.

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Sorry, if you are in an area that requires the stupid above ground backflow valve you do need to insulate that. Not even sure how you drain it, but it wouldn't be a bad idea. Luckily in Dallas ours are in the ground.