How cold do pipes get in winter?
The average January low in Troy is 20°F, and an average year has about 123 days at or below freezing. Spigots on outside walls, pipes in a garage and lines in a room nobody heats are the exposed ones.
Pipe Freeze Risk Checker
An average year in Troy has about 123 days at or below 32°F. Choose your town and where the pipe runs, and the checker rates how likely it is to freeze on a cold January night.
You get a risk level and the steps that help before a cold night.
How the risk level is set
We look at two things. The first is the average January low where you live, taken from ten years of daily weather. The second is where the pipes run. Pipes in an attic, a crawl space or a garage lose heat faster than pipes in a heated inside wall, and pipes on an outside wall or an outdoor spigot are the most exposed.
Each one adds points. A low score reads as low risk. Higher scores read as moderate, high or severe.
What the result means
Troy’s average January low is about 20°F, so the climate share of the score is the same for every pipe in a Troy house. The spot where the pipe sits does the sorting. A line in a heated interior wall rates lower than one in a garage or crawl space, and an outdoor spigot rates highest.
An average is a typical figure and not a forecast. A single cold night can be colder than the January average, so the steps in the result are worth doing once and leaving in place.
What helps before a freeze
Know where the main water shut-off valve is. Drain and disconnect garden hoses and cover outdoor spigots before the first freeze. Insulate pipes in unheated spaces. On a freezing night, a slight drip at a faucet and open cabinet doors on outside walls help. If you will be away, keep the heat on or have the plumbing drained. A plumber can look at any run you are unsure about.
Common questions
At what temperature do pipes freeze?
Water freezes at 32°F, but a pipe needs several hours of cold to freeze through. Pipes in an unheated space or on an outside wall are the first to go.
Should I leave a faucet dripping on a freezing night?
A slight drip keeps water moving through the pipe, and opening cabinet doors lets warm air reach pipes under sinks on outside walls. Both are simple steps for a night that drops below freezing.
Where is my main water shut-off valve?
It is usually where the water line enters the house, in a garage, a utility room or on an outside wall near the meter. Find it before you need it, and make sure everyone in the house knows where it is.
What if I am away during a freeze?
Keep the heat on at 55°F or higher, or have the plumbing drained before you leave. A plumber can drain the system and tell you how to bring it back.
Climate figures: Daymet daily data 2015 to 2024 for each place.
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