The short answer
Keep the water running at a stream, not a drip. Open your cabinet doors so heat gets to the pipes, cover your outside faucets and turn the heat up inside the house.
Before a hard freeze
- Disconnect every garden hose from your outside faucets.
- Cover the outside faucets.
- Open the cabinet doors under your sinks so warm air reaches the pipes.
- Let the water run at a thin stream, not a drip.
- Turn the heat up inside the house.
Hot water lines freeze first
In our experience, the hot water lines are usually the first to freeze. If the hot side stops working in a cold snap, treat it as an early warning.
When to call us
- Call right away: your pipes are frozen and no water comes out. The longer they stay frozen, the worse they freeze and the more likely a pipe splits.
- If a pipe has already burst: shut the water off at the meter first, then call.
We are open 24 hours Monday through Saturday.
Thawing frozen pipes with Acts of Service Plumbing
Thawing frozen pipes starts at $319. One tech can usually handle it. In really bad weather, a job that needs two people can cost more. You get a flat-rate, upfront price before any work starts.
Frost-free outdoor hydrants are pretty much standard now. If your outside faucets are older, ask us about replacing them. See our emergency plumbing service, outdoor hydrant repair or read a real hydrant job story.
Page last updated October 2026.
Straight Answers
Should I drip my faucets when it freezes in Tulsa?
Let the water run at a stream, not a drip. Also open your cabinet doors, cover your outside faucets and turn the heat up inside.
Which pipes freeze first?
In our experience, the hot water lines are usually the first to freeze.
Do I need to disconnect my garden hose before a freeze?
Yes. Before a hard freeze, disconnect every garden hose from your outside faucets, then cover the faucets.
My pipes are frozen and no water comes out. What should I do?
Call right away. The longer pipes stay frozen, the worse they freeze and the more likely they split.
How much does it cost to thaw frozen pipes?
Thawing frozen pipes starts at $319. A job that needs two people in really bad weather can cost more. You get a flat-rate, upfront price before any work starts.
