Calgary’s cold weather can arrive quickly, and frozen pipes can lead to water outages, burst plumbing, and expensive damage. A few simple checks now can help protect your home before the next deep freeze.

The City of Calgary recommends maintaining a minimum indoor temperature of 15°C, even when you are away. Check your home insurance policy for any required inspection schedule during extended absences. This baseline temperature keeps water moving through your pipes and prevents the kind of freeze that can split a line overnight.

Remove garden hoses from exterior faucets, turn off the indoor shut-off valve, and open the small drain on the faucet to remove remaining water. Leaving a hose attached can increase the risk of freezing and damage to the tap or connected piping. If you have an irrigation system, shut off the controller and drain or blow out sprinkler lines before temperatures remain below freezing. Protect the backflow device according to the system’s requirements.

Inspect basements, crawl spaces, garages, attics, and cabinets under sinks for cold drafts or exposed water lines. Seal gaps around doors and windows, and consider pipe insulation in areas that are not properly heated. Open interior doors and cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate around plumbing located along exterior walls or inside colder cabinets. This is especially helpful during extended cold snaps.

If your hot water tank or water meter is located in a room outside the main heated area, make sure that space receives adequate heat. Reduced water flow, no water from a faucet, or frost around exposed pipes and the main shut-off valve may indicate freezing. Locate your main water shut-off valve now, before you need it.

If flooding occurs, turn off the main water shut-off valve. If you try to thaw a pipe, use gentle heat such as a hair dryer, heating pad, or warm towels. Never use an open flame, and contact a qualified plumber if you are unsure. Call 311 if water service does not return after safe thawing attempts.

Ito yung magandang weekend project, lalo na kung may unfinished basement kayo, attached garage, exterior hose bibs, o plumbing malapit sa labas na pader. Para sa mga buyers, idagdag nyo ang frozen-pipe protection sa seasonal home inspection checklist nyo. Small preventive steps now can save a very unpleasant surprise later, kabayan.

This is a good weekend project, especially for homes with unfinished basements, attached garages, exterior hose bibs, or plumbing near outside walls. For buyers, add frozen-pipe protection to your seasonal home inspection checklist. Small preventive steps now can save a very unpleasant surprise later.

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Call or text 587-510-2008 or email ariell@sellwithariell.com

Stay proactive, protect your home, and enjoy the winter with a little more peace of mind.

Information drawn from the City of Calgary’s guidance on protecting water lines and meters from freezing, seasonal maintenance checklists, and climate-ready home maintenance resources, all updated November 4 and 5, 2026.