The combination that creates burst pipes is empty house + cold weather + lower thermostat + no one to notice. Each of those is a control point. Keeping the thermostat at 55°F or above costs a small amount in heating and prevents pipes near exterior walls from freezing. The other four steps below close the remaining gaps. The Insurance Information Institute reports frozen pipes as one of the most common cold-weather insurance claims, and one of the most preventable.
Quick checklist (the 15-minute essentials)
- Set thermostat to 55°F minimum. Higher if you have pets, plants, or hardwood that doesn't tolerate cold.
- Open cabinet doors under every sink on an exterior wall.
- Disconnect garden hoses, drain outdoor hose bibs (or shut their indoor supply valves and drain).
- Drain or winterize irrigation systems if not already done for the season.
- Shut off the main water supply for trips longer than 4 days, especially in deep winter.
- Set the water heater to "Vacation" mode or drop the electric thermostat down. See water heater vacation mode.
- Arrange a trusted person to check the house every 3 to 5 days.
- Know the local forecast for your trip dates. Sudden cold snaps change the plan.
Why 55°F
That's the standard recommendation from the American Red Cross and most utilities for an empty home in winter. 55°F:
- Keeps interior air well above freezing.
- Allows pipes inside walls and cabinets to stay above 32°F even when outside walls cool down.
- Uses minimal energy compared to your normal setpoint.
- Stays in the safe range for most house contents (electronics, art, furniture, instruments).
If your house has known cold spots, vulnerable plumbing on exterior walls, or you're going to a destination where you can't easily monitor remotely, set it higher (60°F to 65°F) for the additional buffer.
Why cabinet doors under sinks
Pipes under sinks on exterior walls are the first to freeze. The cabinet acts as a thermal pocket separated from house heat. Opening the door lets room air reach the pipes. Walk every kitchen and bathroom sink. If the back wall of the cabinet is an exterior wall (north, west, or unheated garage side), open the door. Move anything stored inside that would block airflow.
Outdoor faucet and hose checklist
- Disconnect every garden hose from every outdoor faucet. A connected hose holds water that freezes back into the faucet and splits the pipe inside the wall.
- Drain hoses and store them somewhere not exposed to freezing temps.
- Drain freeze-resistant ("frost-free") sillcocks by turning them off and leaving them slightly open to drain.
- For traditional outdoor faucets, locate the indoor shutoff valve, close it, then open the outdoor faucet to drain water trapped in the pipe between the shutoff and the spigot.
- If you don't know where the indoor shutoffs are, find them now. The day a pipe bursts is too late.
Irrigation and sprinkler systems
If you have an in-ground irrigation system and haven't winterized it for the season, this is a critical step before any winter trip in a freezing climate. Water left in irrigation pipes freezes, expands, and cracks pipes, valves, and sprinkler heads. The repair bill in spring runs from $200 (a few cracked heads) to thousands (replaced main lines).
Most irrigation systems are blown out with compressed air by a professional in fall. If yours hasn't been done, schedule it before you leave. DIY is possible but the equipment and pressure settings matter.
If extreme cold is in the forecast
The standard checklist above assumes typical winter temperatures. If forecasts show overnight lows below 10°F or sustained sub-zero stretches during your trip:
- Raise the thermostat to 65°F.
- Let a faucet on the coldest side of the house drip slowly (cold side, both hot and cold lines).
- Open more cabinet doors, especially on north-facing walls.
- Strongly consider shutting off the main water and draining the system. The math: a flooded house from a frozen pipe is worth more than the inconvenience of restoring water.
- Have someone check the house every 24 to 48 hours during the cold snap, not 3 to 5 days.
Who checks the house and what they check
Pick one trusted person and give them three things:
- A key (or smart lock code with an expiration date).
- Your phone number and an emergency contact.
- A short list: thermostat reading, no water on floors, no smell of gas, mail or packages don't pile up.
Pay them, owe them, or trade them. The visit is 5 minutes. It catches problems within 3 to 5 days instead of weeks.
Smart home tools that help
- A smart thermostat with remote access lets you monitor and adjust temperature from your phone.
- A water leak detector near the water heater, washing machine, and any sink lets you know within minutes if something failed.
- A whole-house water shutoff valve with a leak detector can shut off automatically if a leak is detected.
- A smart thermostat or temperature sensor can alert you if interior temperature drops below a threshold.
None of these replace the basic checklist. They add a monitoring layer that catches the failure you didn't predict.
When you return
See the full returning home after vacation checklist for the post-trip walkthrough. The freeze-specific things to check first:
- Walk every room and listen for running water.
- Look at the basement and crawl space first.
- Run hot and cold water at every fixture for 30 seconds to check that pipes aren't blocked by ice or burst.
- If you turned off the main water, turn it back on slowly with an upstairs faucet open.
- Wait 30 minutes and check again for leaks.
Good maintenance rhythm
- Before every winter trip 3+ days: run the 15-minute essentials.
- Before every winter trip 1+ week: shut off main water and arrange someone to check.
- Yearly in fall: winterize irrigation, disconnect outdoor hoses, locate indoor shutoffs.
- Yearly: confirm the main water shutoff still turns.
- Before any trip during an Arctic forecast: raise the thermostat and drip faucets.
- Ongoing: keep a trusted person's contact info on your phone year-round.