Can Pipes Freeze in Lakeland? Yes, Here's What to Protect
Lakeland winters usually mean highs in the mid-70s and lows in the 50s. But cold snaps do drop temperatures below freezing, and Florida pipes are rarely built for it.
Request a plumberWhich pipes are at risk
Pipes outside or in unheated spaces: hose bibs, irrigation lines and backflow devices, pool equipment, outdoor showers, and supply lines that rise out of the ground to the house or the water heater in the garage.
Before a freeze warning
Disconnect hoses, cover outdoor taps and backflow devices with insulating covers or wrap them in towels and plastic, and close garage doors.
During the night
Let a cold tap drip at the fixture furthest from the main. Open cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls. Keep the heat on if you're away.
If a pipe freezes
Leave the tap open and warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer. Never use an open flame. If you can't reach it, wait for daytime warmth.
If a pipe bursts
Shut off the main straight away. Most splits show up as the pipe thaws, so check outdoor lines and the garage the next morning.
After the cold
Check irrigation and backflow devices for cracks before turning sprinklers back on. If a line split, see emergency plumbing.
Pools, wells and irrigation
Pool pumps and filters, well pressure tanks and irrigation backflow assemblies sit outside with no insulation at all. On a freeze-warning night, follow the pool equipment maker's advice, wrap the backflow device and the exposed well piping, and keep the pump house door shut. A split backflow assembly is one of the most common freeze repairs in Central Florida, and it often isn't noticed until the sprinklers run again in spring.
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