Guides
Plain answers written by the people who maintain this directory, against the same official records it runs on. Where a number appears, it is either computed from state data or cited to its source.
Freeze & burst pipes
What Texas freezes actually do to plumbing, what to do in the first minutes, and how to prepare before the next front.
- The Texas Freeze Survival Guide for Your Plumbing
Why Texas freezes break pipes that northern freezes do not, what Winter Storm Uri cost, when the freeze season runs, and the stage-by-stage plan from preparing to drying out.
- How to Prepare Your Pipes Before a Texas Freeze
A pre-freeze checklist built for Texas construction: attic and exterior-wall pipe, hose bibs, sprinkler backflow preventers, pool equipment, the water heater, which faucets to drip, and what to do before leaving town.
- Pipes Frozen? What to Do Right Now
How to confirm which pipes are frozen, thaw them safely with a hair dryer or heating pad (never an open flame), watch for a burst as they thaw, and know when to call a licensed Texas plumber.
- Burst Pipe: The First 30 Minutes
The damage-control order for a burst pipe in a Texas home: water off at the main, electricity and gas safety, photos before cleanup, and the two trades you need, only one of which Texas licenses.
- Finding Your Water Shut-Off Valve in a Texas Home
Where the main shut-off hides in a Texas home, which meter-box valve is yours, what tool opens the lid, and how to test it before the next freeze.
- Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Burst Pipes in Texas?
What Texas homeowners policies typically cover after a frozen pipe bursts, what they exclude, why policy language treats the damage and the failed pipe differently, and how actual cash value changes the check.
- After the Burst: Drying Out and Beating the Mold Clock
The 24 to 48 hour drying window after a Texas freeze burst: why a wall that feels dry is not, what restoration crews measure, and how to verify a trade Texas does not license.