How renters can keep pipes from freezing
A frozen pipe can split and flood a home when it thaws. In places where it gets very cold, a few small habits on the coldest nights prevent most of it.
On the coldest nights
- Keep the heat at the same temperature day and night.
- If you go away, don't set it below 55°F.
- Open the cabinet doors under sinks so warm air reaches the pipes, especially on outside walls. Move cleaners out of children's reach.
- Let a little cold water drip from faucets with exposed pipes.
If a frozen pipe bursts
- Close the shutoff valve for that fixture, or the main shutoff.
- Stay away from water near outlets and the breaker panel.
- Call your landlord's after hours number.
Before winter
Find your main water shutoff now, while nothing is wrong. Ask your landlord if you're not sure where it is.
Rent your home? Get the free move-in safety checklist. Own or manage rentals? SaferResident gives every tenant a 20 minute course on this, built around your building.
Sources
- Preventing and Thawing Frozen Pipes, American Red Cross
- What to do before a winter weather event, Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS)
- The homeowner's severe cold weather survival guide, Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I)
- What to do after a winter weather event, Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS)
Updated October 1, 2026. General safety information. It doesn't replace your building's safety systems, local codes or your lease. In an emergency, call 911.