Frozen Pipes in Round Rock: What to Do and What We Fix

What February 2021 Taught Us

During that winter storm, the city kept its water system running and never issued a boil-water notice. Even so, a city spokesperson said at the time that residents who had lost water were most likely dealing with frozen pipes on their own property. The utility system held; individual houses didn't.

The Valve You Need to Find Now

Round Rock's advice after the storm was to close the private shutoff valve, which is typically on the property side just outside the meter box, before calling a plumber. Find yours on a warm afternoon, make sure it turns, and keep a meter key or adjustable wrench nearby. If your address is in a municipal utility district, check its instructions too.

Weak Spots in Central Texas Homes

• Supply lines in exterior walls, especially behind kitchen sinks.
• Lines that run through attics or unheated garages.
• Hose bibs, irrigation backflow assemblies and exposed lines at the water heater.

After the Thaw

Splits often stay hidden until the ice melts. When water starts showing in a ceiling or along a baseboard, shut the valve, then call us. We extract standing water, open the ceiling or wall where moisture readings point, dry the cavity and patch it once your plumber has made the repair. With about 28 percent of the city's housing in buildings of five or more units, we also see freeze leaks that travel from one apartment or condo into the next. In that case we document both units for each owner's insurer.

If the problem is rising water rather than ice, our flood cleanup page is the better guide. For everything else, see the Round Rock crew's main page.