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How do you keep pipes from freezing in a Middle Tennessee winter?

Under NOAA climate normals, Nashville drops to 20°F or below about 14 nights a year, and 20°F is the outdoor temperature that pipe-freezing research proposed as a warning line for the South. The guide below covers what to do before, during, and after a hard freeze.

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By TrustPoint Restoration11 min readGeneral information only

Short answer

To keep pipes from freezing in a Middle Tennessee winter, keep the heat at 55°F or higher, even when you are away, and hold it steady day and night. Before the first freeze, disconnect and drain garden hoses, shut off and insulate outdoor faucets, insulate pipes in crawl spaces, attics, and exterior walls, and close crawl space vents. During a hard freeze, open the cabinet doors under sinks and let faucets on exposed pipes drip. If a pipe bursts, shut off the main water valve first, then call your insurer.

How cold does it have to get for pipes to freeze?

Pipes need temperatures below freezing, though not necessarily extreme cold. The widely repeated 20°F figure comes from a 1996 University of Illinois Building Research Council study of freezing and bursting pipes, which proposed 20°F as a temperature alert threshold for the southern United States: the outdoor temperature at which people should be warned to protect their plumbing.

Staying above 20°F does not make pipes safe. The figure came from the worst case the researchers tested, an uninsulated pipe in a vented attic, which consistently began to freeze when it was about 20°F outside. The same report expected occasional freezes between 20°F and 32°F, and noted that cracks and gaps in a house can freeze pipes that look protected.

Southern homes are more exposed than their climate suggests. IBHS, the insurance industry's building research group, notes that plumbing along exterior walls is common in warmer regions, and its Winter Ready guide adds that older homes, especially in Southern states, are more likely to have inadequate insulation.

How often does Nashville get cold enough to freeze pipes?

Nashville reaches that kind of cold almost every winter. Under NOAA's 1991 to 2020 climate normals for Nashville International Airport, the city averages 13.7 nights a year at or below 20°F, and the chance of at least one such night in a given year is 99.6 percent. January alone averages 6.6 of those nights and 18.8 nights at or below freezing, with a normal low of 30.1°F according to the National Weather Service.

Recent winters have gone well past the averages. During the December 2022 Arctic cold wave, the airport fell to minus 1°F on December 23, with wind chills of minus 15 to minus 30 degrees common across Middle Tennessee. In January 2024, the airport hit minus 1°F again after 7.6 inches of snow. And a severe winter storm in January 2026 led to a federal disaster declaration that included Davidson County.

The damage shows up in the claims data. In the 12 months that included the December 2022 freeze, Tennessee ranked third in the nation for State Farm's frozen pipe and water claims, at $61.9 million. From 2024 through mid-2025, State Farm reported Tennessee among the five states with the highest total frozen pipe and winter water claim costs. In January 2026, Nashville's own Metro Water Services said the extreme cold of the winter before had caused widespread pipe breaks and damaged backflow prevention assemblies across the city.

What should you do before winter starts?

Most of the work happens on a mild fall afternoon, well before a freeze is in the forecast.

  1. Disconnect and drain garden hoses

    Take hoses off the outdoor faucets, drain them, and store them, as the American Red Cross recommends.

  2. Shut down the outdoor faucets

    The American Red Cross recommends closing the indoor valve that feeds each outdoor faucet, then opening the faucet outside so the line can drain, and leaving it open so any water left inside has room to expand without breaking the pipe. IBHS adds that homes built before 2010 typically do not have frost-proof outdoor faucets, and that faucets without that protection should be insulated as well.

  3. Insulate exposed pipes

    The Red Cross recommends insulating both hot and cold water pipes in unheated spaces such as crawl spaces, attics, garages, and under-sink cabinets on exterior walls, using pipe sleeves or UL-listed heat tape or heat cable.

  4. Close the crawl space vents

    Metro Water Services advises closing crawl space vents and covering outdoor spigots in cold weather, and recommends draining irrigation systems and insulating backflow preventers before a freeze.

  5. Find and test your main shut-off valve

    Metro Water Services says the valve may be in the basement, under the kitchen sink, in a utility closet, near the water heater, or in the crawl space, and that closing it quickly can limit the damage when an inside pipe bursts. If you cannot find one, call a plumber now rather than during an emergency. Our home maintenance checklist has the rest of the fall list.

What should you do when a hard freeze is in the forecast?

  • Keep the thermostat at 55°F or higher, and keep it at the same setting day and night. The Red Cross and IBHS both use 55°F as the floor, including when nobody is home. The Insurance Information Institute suggests a higher minimum of 65°F, because the inside of the walls where pipes run is substantially colder than the room.
  • Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors so the warm room air reaches the pipes, especially on exterior walls. Move cleaning products out of reach of children while the doors are open.
  • Let faucets fed by exposed pipes drip, both hot and cold where both lines run through cold spaces. The 1996 research notes that hot and cold water reach a faucet through separate lines that can each freeze, and that a drip delays freezing and, if the pipe freezes anyway, relieves the pressure that bursts it. Leave the tap slightly open even if the drip slows or stops.
  • Keep the garage door closed if water lines run through the garage.
  • If you are leaving for more than a week while freezing temperatures are expected, IBHS suggests closing the main water valve slowly and letting a couple of faucets on the lowest floor drain, and keeping the heat on either way. If your home has fire sprinklers, do not shut off the water: State Farm notes that doing so disables the sprinklers, and the standard homeowners policy form requires a sprinklered home to keep both the water and the heat on.
  • Know the insurance condition before you leave. Tennessee's insurance regulator, in its 2024 winter guidance, says anyone away from home when it might freeze must use reasonable care to heat the house or shut off the water supply and drain the plumbing.

How do you thaw a frozen pipe safely?

  1. Spot it

    If a faucet gives only a trickle, suspect a frozen pipe. The Red Cross says to look first along exterior walls and where the water line comes into the house through the foundation.

  2. Decide what to do with the water

    The Red Cross says to keep the affected faucet open while you thaw it, so melting water can flow. Tennessee's insurance regulator, in its 2024 winter guidance, advises shutting off the main valve before thawing, then turning the water back on slowly and checking for cracks and leaks. Either way, know where the main valve is before you start, because a frozen pipe sometimes turns out to be a split one once it thaws.

  3. Apply gentle heat

    The Red Cross suggests an electric heating pad, a hair dryer, a space heater kept well away from anything flammable, or towels soaked in hot water. Tennessee's insurance regulator adds that a space heater should never be left unattended. State Farm also cautions you to keep electrical appliances away from standing water and to start warming near the faucet and work back toward the frozen section.

  4. Never use an open flame

    The Red Cross specifically rules out blowtorches, kerosene or propane heaters, charcoal stoves, and any other open-flame device. A flame on a frozen pipe is a fire hazard in a crawl space or wall cavity.

  5. Keep going until full pressure returns, then check the rest of the house

    Keep applying heat until the water runs at full pressure, then check every other faucet, because more than one pipe may be frozen. If you cannot find, reach, or thaw the frozen section, call a licensed plumber.

What should you do if a pipe bursts?

  1. Shut off the main water valve

    Closing the main valve stops more water from reaching the break. State Farm also recommends leaving the faucets open once the main is closed. Stay out of standing water near outlets and appliances.

  2. Call your insurer

    The Insurance Information Institute says to contact your agent or insurer as soon as you can. The adjuster does not need to see the water before you act, but will want to inspect damaged items.

  3. Document before you repair

    In the same 2024 guidance, Tennessee’s insurance regulator advises photographing or videoing the damage before making temporary repairs, keeping damaged property and receipts for the adjuster, and making only temporary repairs until the insurer inspects, because an insurer may deny a claim if permanent repairs were made first.

  4. Get the water out and the structure drying

    IBHS's after-storm guidance recommends limiting further damage, including hiring a restoration service to remove water before mold becomes a problem. The EPA says to dry water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth. Pulling the water out and drying the structure to a measured standard is the job of water damage restoration.

  5. Call a plumber for the pipe itself

    Metro Water Services notes that it cannot respond to private plumbing problems, so the burst pipe is a job for a plumber. Breaks in the public water main are the utility’s to fix.

Does homeowners insurance cover frozen and burst pipes?

Standard policies usually cover it if you took reasonable care. The Insurance Information Institute says standard homeowners policies cover most freeze damage, including water damage when pipes freeze and burst. Flood damage and sewer or drain backups are not covered by most standard policies; flood needs a separate policy, and sewer backup is usually an add-on.

The standard ISO homeowners form, in a sample the Insurance Information Institute hosts, covers freeze damage to plumbing only if the homeowner took reasonable care to keep the building heated or to shut off the water and drain the system, and a home with fire sprinklers has to keep both the water and the heat on. The form also does not pay to repair the pipe the water came from, though it does cover tearing out and replacing the parts of the house needed to reach it. Carriers' own forms vary, so read yours.

For scale, homeowners claims in the combined water damage and freezing category averaged $15,400 each from 2019 to 2023, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Mold that follows a burst pipe is a narrower question, covered in our guide to whether bleach kills mold.

What makes frozen pipe damage worse?

  • Turning the thermostat down at night or while away during a freeze.
  • Treating 20°F as the line. The research behind that number expected occasional freezes between 20°F and 32°F.
  • Leaving garden hoses connected through the winter.
  • Thawing a pipe with a torch or any open flame.
  • Assuming a pipe is fine because the water came back. Check for cracks and leaks once it is flowing again.
  • Making permanent repairs before the adjuster has seen the damage.
  • Letting wet materials sit. The EPA drying window is 24 to 48 hours.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

At what temperature do pipes freeze?
Research from the University of Illinois found that uninsulated pipes in the worst locations begin to freeze when it is about 20°F outside, and proposed 20°F as the warning line for the southern United States. Pipes can still freeze between 20°F and 32°F, so 20°F is not a safe line.
Should I drip hot or cold water to keep pipes from freezing?
Drip both where both lines run through cold spaces. The 1996 research behind the 20°F figure notes that hot and cold water reach a faucet through separate lines that can each freeze, and that a drip delays freezing and relieves the pressure that bursts a frozen pipe.
What temperature should I keep my house to prevent frozen pipes?
Keep it at 55°F or higher, at the same setting day and night, including when nobody is home. The American Red Cross and IBHS both use 55°F as the minimum.
How do I know if a pipe is frozen?
A faucet that gives only a trickle during cold weather is the usual sign. Check the pipes along exterior walls and where the water line enters through the foundation.
Will homeowners insurance cover a burst pipe?
Standard policies usually cover sudden freeze damage if you took reasonable care to keep the house heated or to shut off and drain the water, which is the same rule Tennessee’s insurance regulator gives for anyone away from home when it might freeze. Those policies generally do not pay to repair the pipe itself.
Should I shut off my water when I leave for a winter trip?
If you will be gone more than a week with freezing temperatures expected, IBHS suggests closing the main valve slowly and letting a couple of faucets on the lowest floor drain. Keep the heat at 55°F or higher either way. If the house has fire sprinklers, leave the water on, because shutting it off disables them.
Who do I call when a pipe bursts?
Shut off the main water valve first, then call your insurer. A plumber repairs the pipe, and a restoration contractor removes the water and dries the structure before mold can take hold.

The takeaway

Nashville gets cold enough to freeze pipes almost every winter, so the protection has to be in place before the forecast turns: heat at 55°F or higher and steady, hoses off, outdoor faucets shut down and insulated, exposed pipes insulated, crawl space vents closed, and the main shut-off valve found and tested. If a pipe bursts anyway, shut off the water, call your insurer, and get the structure drying right away, because the EPA says wet materials dried within 24 to 48 hours usually do not grow mold.

Read how we handle water damage restoration.

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Pipe already burst?

Shut off the main water valve, call your insurer, then call TrustPoint at (615) 880-8060 to book an in-person inspection. We answer around the clock, and a professional on site takes the guesswork out of where the water went, so drying can start right away.

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