Getting an Older East Texas House Ready for Winter

East Texas winters are usually mild, but every few years we get a hard freeze that catches people off guard. Anyone who lived through the February 2021 winter storm remembers the burst pipes, the power outages, and the plumbers who were booked for weeks. Older houses took the worst of it.

In Tyler, the average first fall frost comes around November 13. That gives you about a month to get an older house ready. Here is a simple checklist, with a focus on the problems that show up most in older East Texas homes.

1. Protect the Pipes Under the House

A lot of older homes around here sit on pier and beam foundations, and the water lines run through an open crawl space. That is where pipes freeze first. Crawl under the house, or have someone do it, and look for exposed supply lines.

  • Wrap exposed pipes with foam pipe insulation, especially near outside walls and vents.
  • Check that the skirting around the house is intact. Gaps and missing panels let cold wind blow right across the pipes.
  • Close or cover foundation vents during hard freezes, and open them again in spring.
  • Know where your main water shutoff is, and make sure it actually turns.

If your house still has old galvanized pipe, a freeze can be the thing that finally breaks it. That may be a good reason to replace it with PEX, which handles freezing better than rigid pipe.

2. Take Care of Outside Faucets

Disconnect garden hoses before the first freeze. A hose left on a faucet can trap water and split the pipe inside the wall. Put an insulated cover over each outside faucet. They are inexpensive and easy to find at any hardware store.

3. Check the Heat Before You Need It

Turn the heat on now, while it is still mild, and make sure it works. Change the filter. If you have a gas furnace or space heaters, have them checked and make sure the house has working carbon monoxide detectors. If you heat with a fireplace or wood stove, have the chimney inspected and cleaned.

4. Seal the Drafts

Older houses leak air around windows, doors, and attic openings. A few tubes of caulk, some weatherstripping, and new door sweeps can make a real difference in comfort and in the power bill. Check the attic insulation too. In many older homes it has settled, been disturbed, or was never very thick to begin with.

5. Clean Out the Gutters

Fall leaves fill gutters fast in East Texas. Clogged gutters send water over the edge and down along the foundation, which can cause problems in a crawl space or around a slab. Clean them after most of the leaves have dropped, and make sure downspouts carry water away from the house.

6. Plan for a Power Outage

When a winter storm takes out the power, an older house can get cold quickly. Think ahead about what you will do.

  • Keep flashlights, batteries, blankets, and some water on hand.
  • If you have a portable generator, never run it inside the house or garage, and keep it well away from windows and doors.
  • Know how to drain your water lines if the power will be out for a long time in freezing weather.
  • Keep phone numbers for a plumber and your electric provider handy.

7. On Freezing Nights

When a hard freeze is in the forecast, let faucets on outside walls drip, open the cabinet doors under sinks so warm air can reach the pipes, and keep the heat on, even if you are going out of town.

A Little Work Now Saves a Lot Later

Most of this list can be done in a weekend for very little money. Compare that to the cost of a burst pipe, a flooded crawl space, or water damage inside the walls. A few hours this fall can save you a big repair bill and a lot of headaches this winter.

I keep a running journal of my house projects, land work, and what I am seeing around East Texas at greg-mckinney-mineola-texas.com.

Greg McKinney, Mineola, Texas

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