Focus on water. Appliances themselves rarely suffer in a North Texas freeze, but the water sitting in washer hoses, fridge supply lines and outdoor ice makers can freeze, split a line and flood the house when it thaws. Freezes are a regular part of DFW winters: the National Weather Service Fort Worth office lists the average first freeze at DFW as November 22 and the average last freeze as March 12 (NWS Fort Worth).
Do this first
Before temperatures drop:
- Find your main water shutoff and make sure it turns. The City of Frisco notes that valves are typically found in flowerbeds in older homes or in garages in newer homes (City of Frisco).
- Protect a washer in the garage. Close its supply valves, disconnect the hoses and drain them into a bucket. For a front-loader, drain the water left in the pump through the pump filter. Many owner's manuals include winterizing steps for washers in unheated spaces, so check yours.
- Shut off and drain outdoor kitchen ice makers and refrigerators with water lines, following the manufacturer's winterizing instructions.
- Drip the faucets that share exterior walls with appliance lines. Frisco suggests a slow drip of about five drips per minute and opening cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls.
In the next few hours
While it's freezing:
- Keep the garage door closed so the space holds what warmth it has. Frisco also says pipes in attics, garages and crawlspaces should be properly insulated.
- Open the cabinet under the kitchen sink if the fridge or dishwasher line runs along an outside wall.
- Watch the ice maker. If it stops producing ice during a cold snap and the fridge is against an exterior wall, the supply line may be frozen. Turn the ice maker off so it doesn't keep calling for water.
- Don't use open flames to thaw anything. The National Weather Service says never to use an open flame on frozen pipes. A hair dryer or space heater used with care is the safer option (NWS).
- Keep gas appliance vents clear of ice and debris. What to check on dryer vents after a storm explains why a blocked vent is a safety problem.
Before the technician arrives
After the thaw, check before running anything, and note:
- Model and serial numbers. Washers: around the door opening, under the lid or on the back. Fridges: inside on a side wall or ceiling.
- Any water on the floor near the washer, fridge or dishwasher once lines thaw.
- Cracks or bulges in washer hoses or the fridge's supply line.
- Error codes on the washer at the first fill, which can point to a damaged valve or pump.
- Whether the ice maker resumes within a day after temperatures rise.
What not to do:
- Don't reconnect and turn on a washer's water without watching the first fill for leaks.
- Don't run a washer whose pump may still hold ice. Give the garage a day to warm up.
- Don't pour boiling water on frozen appliance lines or valves.
How to keep it from happening again
- Keep the garage washer's hoses and valves on your freeze checklist, and replace any hose that froze.
- Insulate exposed lines in the garage and along exterior walls.
- Keep a hose-bib cover and pipe insulation on hand before winter.
- Label the main shutoff and show everyone in the house where it is.
- Consider moving the ice maker line away from an exterior wall during kitchen remodels.
A frozen hose can split open when it thaws. See what to do when a washing machine hose bursts. For freeze-related washer and refrigerator repairs, see our Garland service area page.
Sources
- National Weather Service Fort Worth: DFW Earliest and Latest Freezes
- City of Frisco: Cold Weather Tips
- National Weather Service: Essential Tasks After it Warms Up
Keep in mind: Most freeze damage shows up when things thaw, so watch the first fill of every water-connected appliance.
If a washer, fridge or ice maker misbehaves after a freeze, call (469) 886-1122 to reach ProFix Dallas.