Minnesotans keep their pipes from freezing during brutal winters by combining home insulation, strategic airflow, and mindful water use. The most common and actionable tricks used by locals to prevent bursts and costly damage include the following:
Plumbers say prevention starts inside the home. Opening cabinet doors under sinks, especially those along exterior walls, allows warm air to circulate around pipes. Letting water slowly drip from faucets can also help. Vadnais said maintaining a steady flow makes freezing less likely.
At a constant 32°F (0∘C0 raised to the composed with power cap C0∘𝐶), it typically takes 12 hours or more for water in pipes to freeze, especially if the pipes are insulated. However, the exact timing fluctuates heavily depending on pipe exposure, insulation, and whether they are located in unheated areas like exterior walls.
If the water is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it is recommended that you let your cold water run from this faucet at a pencil thickness. You should run a pencil-thick stream of water nonstop when there is no one home, overnight when temperatures typically dip lower, or no water will be used for a period of time.
Liquid propane gas stock tank heaters are available for those without electricity nearby. These are a small propane burner encased in a hollow metal pipe. Energy- free waters channel heat from the ground below and use insulation to keep the water warm.
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If temperatures fall to 20 degrees or lower and will stay there for an extended period of time, drip all the faucets in your home, especially those that are connected to pipes that run in exterior walls, as they are less insulated from the cold. Make sure to drip both hot and cold water faucets.
The City of Minneapolis won the Minnesota "Best in Glass" competition after a blind taste test. Minneapolis' tap water will now compete in an international water taste test in Washington, D.C., in June 2026. The competition had 15 entries from water systems across the state.
Pipes can freeze in as little as six to eight hours, meaning they can freeze overnight. If the outside temperature is below 32F degrees and your pipes are unprotected, your chances for a frozen pipe increase.
Even if you go out of town, keep your heat at 60°F or higher to prevent internal pipes from freezing. You should also try to maintain a constant temperature throughout the day. Many people turn their heat down at night to save money while they sleep.
The Critical Temperature
However, the real danger zone begins when the wind chill drives temperatures down to 20°F (-6°C) or lower. If your home has plumbing located in unheated areas—such as basements, crawl spaces, garages, or exterior walls—you should prepare immediately when these conditions are forecast.
The following tips will help prevent your pipes from freezing: Use space heaters or heat tape/cable in cold or drafty areas to prevent pipes from freezing. Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Let cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes.
Rubbing alcohol does not technically "stop" water from freezing on its own, but it significantly lowers the freezing point of water through a process called freezing point depression.
Uninsulated exterior pipes can freeze in under six hours if the temperature is below 20 degrees. It takes at least 12 hours for unprotected pipes to freeze at 32 degrees.
Ways to avoid frozen pipes
Keep your heating on throughout any spell of severely cold weather. Keep each room in your home warm by setting your thermostat to a minimum of 16 degrees centigrade. If you're worried about your heating bills, turn the radiators down in the rooms you don't use.
Pipes that freeze most frequently are: Pipes that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, and water sprinkler lines.
The combined pressure of the expanding and shrinking ice blockage and the increasing water pressure behind it can cause pipes to leak or burst. This is why you'll always want to leave a faucet on if a pipe is frozen completely, even if there's not enough water flow for a drip.
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Minnesota water is considered hard to very hard depending on the location with an average state range of 192 PPM. The hardest water in the state hails from Minnetonka city, their water comes from the Jordan Aquifer and provides a water hardness level of 310 PPM.
The main goal is to keep water moving through your pipes, which makes it harder to freeze. A drip is often sufficient, but if you do a stream, it should be no more than the width of a tip of a pencil. DON'T run every faucet in your house. If you can, choose one that's the farthest from where water enters your house.
Leave a slow trickle or a steady drip (about one drop every 1 to 2 seconds) to keep pipes from freezing. In extremely severe conditions, a slightly faster stream the width of a pencil is recommended. Always let the cold water run, and use the faucet farthest from your main water meter for the best coverage.
One leaky faucet that goes unchecked for a whole year can waste about 34.7 gallons of water. Slow drips can accumulate to $1 or less per month but fast drips can waste 11 gallons a day and can add up to $6 extra to your bill a month.