Published October 18, 2026 — by Cheyenne Water Damage Pros

How to Prevent Frozen Pipes in Cheyenne, WY

Fast answer: Frozen pipes are the most common winter emergency our Cheyenne team responds to. Pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces, garages, and unheated basements are at highest risk. The most effective prevention is insulation sleeves, sealed drafts, consistent indoor heat (never below 55°F), and dripping vulnerable faucets on the coldest nights.

Which Pipes Freeze First in Cheyenne Homes

• Pipes in exterior walls — especially on the north and west sides of the house, where wind and cold hit hardest.
• Crawl space plumbing — unconditioned crawl spaces in Cheyenne homes can drop well below freezing while the living room stays comfortable.
• Garage and utility-room lines — garages are rarely heated, and pipes serving laundry or hose bibs through them freeze early in the season.
• Unheated basements and additions — older homes with partially finished basements or enclosed porches often have water lines running through zones that never get warm.
• Outdoor hose bibs and irrigation lines — the first freeze of fall catches many homeowners with hoses still attached, trapping water against the valve.

Prevention Steps That Actually Work

1. Insulate exposed pipes

Foam insulation sleeves are inexpensive and slide over exposed pipe in crawl spaces, garages, and basements. For the most vulnerable runs — anything in an exterior wall or an unheated zone — heat tape (self-regulating electric heating cable) adds active protection. Make sure heat tape is installed exactly to the manufacturer's instructions and is plugged into a GFCI-protected outlet.

2. Seal drafts and cold-air paths

Walk your foundation, crawl space, and garage looking for where cold air blows in: gaps around dryer vents, electrical conduit, and pipe penetrations; cracked vent covers; uninsulated rim joists. Seal gaps with caulk and expanding foam, and close foundation vents that let wind sweep directly across pipes. A drafty crawl space can freeze pipes even when the forecast says it is only "a little below freezing."

3. Keep heat consistent — never below 55°F

Don't set the thermostat lower at night or while away to save energy. Pipes don't care about your heating bill: dropping below about 55°F in an older Cheyenne home puts exterior-wall and crawl space plumbing at real risk. If you leave town in winter, keep the heat on and have someone check the house.

4. Drip vulnerable faucets on the coldest nights

When temperatures plunge well below freezing — especially overnight with wind — let the faucet farthest from where the line enters the house drip slowly, both hot and cold sides if served by separate lines. Moving water is harder to freeze, and the drip relieves pressure buildup if ice does form. This won't replace insulation, but it's a proven last-line defense during extreme cold snaps.

5. Open cabinet doors under sinks

On exterior-wall sinks, open the cabinet doors so warm room air circulates around the pipes. It costs nothing and meaningfully raises the temperature around trap and supply lines during a freeze.

6. Disconnect hoses and shut off hose bibs before the first freeze

Remove garden hoses, drain them, and store them inside. Shut off the interior valve to each hose bib (if your home has one) and open the exterior valve to let it drain. A hose left connected traps water right against the shut-off, and that short trapped section freezes first — then splits the bib, flooding the wall cavity when it thaws.

7. Know where your main water shut-off is

Before winter, find your home's main shut-off valve — usually in the basement, crawl space, or a utility closet, sometimes at the meter pit outside. Make sure it turns freely (many seize up from disuse). If a pipe does burst, shutting the water off within minutes instead of hours is the difference between a mopping job and a full water removal and restoration project.

Warning Signs a Pipe Is Freezing

• Water pressure drops or the flow stops entirely on a cold morning.
• Strange clanking, gurgling, or frost on an exposed pipe.
• Damp patches or a musty smell near exterior walls — thawing and refreezing cycles leak slowly.

If you suspect a frozen pipe, first open the faucet it feeds — that gives melting ice somewhere to go and relieves pressure. Then warm the pipe gently: a hair dryer or warm towels, moving along the section, working from the faucet back toward the coldest area. Never use an open flame, torch, or heat gun — overheated pipes, solder joints, and surrounding framing are a fire risk.

When It's Time to Call a Professional

Call if: water won't flow through multiple fixtures (the freeze may be in the main line), you find a burst or spraying pipe, the frozen section is inside a wall you can't reach, or water is already flooding. And remember — thawing is only half the battle. Once water has escaped into wall cavities, insulation, or flooring, hidden moisture remains. Our team handles emergency water removal and complete structural drying, because a burst pipe that "dried on its own" often becomes a mold problem weeks later — exactly the kind of water damage restoration in Cheyenne we handle every winter.