The January 2024 winter storm brought a hard freeze to the Memphis area, a citywide pressure loss and a boil-water notice. Damage in homes often showed on the thaw, days later. This guide follows the freeze from the cold to the thaw and sets out what to check at each stage.
Key takeaways
- The freeze cut pressure across the city and brought a boil-water notice to more than 600,000 people
- Split lines often leak on the thaw, not during the cold, so the first mild day is the time to check
- Check the meter with every fixture off, then the outside walls, the garage and the attic
- Keep the heat on at a safe setting, and know where the main is before the next cold
- Record the times of the freeze, the notices and the first leak in one dated note
- Call a plumber for any split line, and the crew for the water that came out of it
What happened to the city in January 2024?
A winter storm brought a hard freeze to the Memphis area, and the water utility's notice reached more than 600,000 people after low pressure and main breaks. The cold burst so many lines that pressure fell citywide, according to a news-agency report from 20 to 22 January 2024.
The regional record describes a week of disruption, with residents on notices for days. The record does not give a Collierville-specific count of frozen lines for that week, so this page does not claim one.
What the record does show is that the pressure loss and the cold together put strain on every line in the house, and the damage often appeared after the cold had passed.
Why does the damage show on the thaw?
A split line can hold while it is frozen, because the ice stops the water moving. When the pipe warms, the water is released and runs into the wall or the floor below, and the leak becomes visible.
A line in an outside wall or a garage can split without any sign until the house warms. The water then travels down the stud bay or along the floor joists before it shows as a stain.
A roof or an attic can also show damage on the thaw, when meltwater held on the roof comes through the ceiling in a rush.
What should I check on the first mild day?
Walk the house. Check the walls near the outside corners, the ceilings below the bathrooms and the garage, and the attic from the access. Read the meter with every fixture off, and look for a moving reading.
A soft board, a damp patch at the base of a wall or a stain on a ceiling is the sign to call. A meter that moves with every fixture off means a line is leaking somewhere in the house.
Photograph anything you find, with the date. The photographs and the time are the first facts in the file.
How do I protect the house before the next cold?
Insulate the exposed lines, seal the gaps where cold air reaches them, keep the heat at a steady level and know where the main is. A plumber can advise on heat tape for the most exposed runs.
Lines in outside walls and in the garage are the most at risk. Foam sleeves on the exposed runs and a sealed opening where a line enters the house are cheap steps that reduce the risk considerably.
On the coldest nights, let the taps on the most exposed line drip slightly and keep cabinet doors open on outside walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
What should go in the record after a freeze?
The times of the freeze, the power loss, any notice, the first leak and the plumber's visit. Add the photographs, the readings and the restoration scope, and keep them in one dated file.
A single note with the times is the most useful thing a homeowner can make after a freeze. It is easy to write while the events are fresh, and it is hard to reconstruct later.
Keep the plumber's invoice with the note. The invoice shows which line was split and how it was repaired, and it supports the claim.
Which homes and lines were most exposed
Lines in outside walls, in garages and in crawl spaces were the most exposed in the cold. A house that was empty or without heat for a time was more exposed still, because its lines cooled faster than the air around them.
A garage is often the coldest room of a house with an attached door to the outside, and the lines and the water heater there are at risk. The same is true for an outside tap that was not drained before the freeze.
A homeowner who was away during the cold should check the house on return, before turning the heat up fully, because a line that froze and split can leak as the house warms.
What a neighbour's loss can tell you
The pattern of damage on a street shows which lines were most exposed. Talking with neighbours about their leaks and their timing can help the homeowner check the same places before the next cold.
If a house nearby lost a line on the same night, check the same lines in your own house, especially the ones on the same wall or the same outside corner. The neighbour's timeline can help set your own.
Share the times and the places in a factual way. A short list of dates, lines and places is useful to the city, the utility and any later repair.
Keeping a record that works for a claim later
A simple dated note, with photographs and the times of the freeze, the thaw and the first leak, is the strongest record a homeowner can keep. It should be made when the events happen, not reconstructed later.
Note the temperature the night of the freeze if it is known, the time the power went off and came back, and any notice from the utility. Those facts are the context for every later claim and repair.
Keep the the plumber invoice and the restoration log beside the note. Together they show what happened, when it was found and how it was fixed.
Frequently asked questions
Should I let the taps drip during a freeze?
Letting a tap drip can help keep a line from freezing in a very cold spell, especially one on an outside wall. It does not replace heat or insulation.
Why did the leak start days after the cold?
Because the split line held its water while it was frozen and began to leak once the ice melted and the pressure returned.
Can I thaw a pipe with a hair dryer?
Gently, on the exposed section, with the tap open slightly so the melt has somewhere to go. Never use an open flame, and call a plumber if the pipe is inside a wall.
Will the insurer cover a frozen pipe?
Many standard policies cover sudden damage from a burst pipe, but some exclude damage from freezing when the heat was off. Read the policy and ask in writing.
What if I cannot find the main?
Ask a plumber to show you before the next freeze. Until you know where it is, close the valves on the fixtures nearest the leak and call.
Is a generator safe in a freeze?
Only outside, well away from doors and windows, with a carbon monoxide alarm in the house. Never run one in a garage.
Do I need to check the house after every cold night?
Check it on the first mild day after a cold spell, and again after a week. Those two checks catch most splits that show on the thaw.
What if my meter moves overnight?
It means water is flowing somewhere in the house. Shut the main and call, because a moving meter with every fixture off is a leak.
Will a plumber check my lines before the next winter?
Ask one to. A plumber can rank the lines by exposure and advise on insulation or heat tape for the worst runs.
Does this guide replace the advice of a licensed professional?
No. It sets out the general pattern and the questions to ask. The licensed trade or the attending company gives the advice for a specific house.
Who should I call first?
Call the 24/7 line if water is still coming in. For a recorded question about the work, ask the company that attends in writing.
Sources
- National Weather Service, Memphis office
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, mold and moisture guidance
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance
This guide is general information for Shelby County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.