At What Temperature Do Pipes Burst? [Video]

With overnight temperatures in Acadiana flirting with dipping into the 20s over the weekend, are you in danger of having your pipes freeze and burst?

The Storm Team 3 Weather Lab has temperatures slightly creeping into the 20s overnight and into the early mornings, bottoming out at about 28 to 29 degrees Saturday and Sunday.

Clearly, those temperatures are way too cold and dangerous for pets to be outside, and heartbreaking to think of the people having to be out in freezing temperatures without shelter.

Plants are obviously not going to fare very well in that kind of temperature either.

Plants, pets, people, and pipes. We hear it just about every Winter.

It's pretty easy to know when plants, pets, and people may be in jeopardy in cold temps, but what's the rule of thumb on pipes?

At What Temperature Do Pipes Freeze And Burst?

Is there a certain, exact temperature that your pipes will freeze and possibly bust?

The short answer is no.

We all know that water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit, but indoor pipes are somewhat protected from outdoor temperatures.

A big factor depends on how exposed your pipes are to freezing temperatures, and for how long.

From all-mortgage-brokers.com -

The air temperature has to remain at 20° for about 6-hours before there’s a risk of your pipes freezing. On the other hand, if you have little or no insulation, your pipes could freeze in as little as 3-hours.

 

 

Now, it's always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to protecting your pipes in freezing temperatures.

The rule of thumb seems to be for protecting your pipes is 20-degree temperatures or below for 5 to 6 hours, as little as 3 hours if they're completely exposed, but taking precautions for temperatures anywhere in the 20s is certainly not a bad idea.

Do You Run Cold Or Hot Water To Keep Pipes From Freezing?

When temperatures start dipping into the mid to low 20s, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Even at a trickle, the water helps prevent pipes from freezing and bursting.