Cold weather snaps can break your pipes and burst your budget

“It’s going to freeze tonight. Let’s get the cabinets open and the faucets dripping.”

That is a sentence many people probably heard their mothers and fathers say growing up thinking it was just an “old tale”. Unfortunately in February of 2021, many of us learned those words were true. So. Very. True.

Pipes that freeze and then subsequently burst can cause damage far beyond what the average policyholder imagines. Frozen pipes can damage drywall, foundations, floors, toilets, electrical systems, and personal items. Not to mention that repairs can take weeks or months to finish.

In 2021, State Farm® paid more than $472 million in damages to policyholders just from frozen pipes claims. That total is nearly eight times more than the amount paid in 2020.

The winter storm in February 2021 increased frozen pipe claims across the country, moving Texas to the number one spot that Illinois held the past two years.

Most of the time, frozen pipes are preventable through a few simple steps. Two tips, two minutes is all it takes:

1. Leave cabinet doors open.
2. Let the faucets drip.

Keeping cabinet doors open allows for airflow from the room to help keep pipes warm. In addition, opening a faucet to allow a slow drip, keeps warmer water flowing through the pipes. Moving water is more difficult to freeze. Additionally, an open faucet will act as a release, helping prevent the pressure from building up inside the pipe, which leads it to burst.