How to Keep Pipes from Freezing in Enterprise, AL (and What to Do If One Bursts)
Hard freezes don't come often in the Wiregrass, which is exactly why they catch houses off guard. Pipes in crawlspaces, garages, and outside walls usually aren't insulated for it. After the January 2025 winter storm, the City of Enterprise Water Department got nearly 100 requests to shut off water because of burst pipes, plus a significant number of unusually high water bills caused by unprotected plumbing (City of Enterprise: Warns Residents of Extreme Cold, Offers Safety Tips (Jan 26, 2026)). Here's how to get ahead of the next one. If a pipe has already burst, shut off your water and call (334) 214-1303.
Before the first hard freeze
- Cover outdoor plumbing. The city asks residents to cover exposed outdoor pipes, faucets, and backflow preventers with insulation, blankets, towels, or other protective materials (City of Enterprise: Warns Residents of Extreme Cold, Offers Safety Tips (Jan 26, 2026)).
- Check under and around the house. Look in the crawlspace, garage, and along exterior walls for exposed pipes and insulate what you can reach (City of Enterprise: Warns Residents of Extreme Cold, Offers Safety Tips (Jan 26, 2026)). Foam pipe sleeves from a hardware store work; so does heat tape installed per its instructions.
- Disconnect garden hoses. A hose left on traps water in the outside faucet. Drain and store it, and if you have an indoor valve feeding the outside faucet, close it (AL.com: Freezing weather in Alabama, how many faucets should you leave dripping? (Jan 25, 2026)).
- Find your shut-off now, in daylight. Know where your house valve is and where the meter box is. This matters more than usual in Enterprise; see the next section.
- Sprinkler and pool lines: drain them following the manufacturer's or installer's directions. Don't add antifreeze unless directed (American Red Cross: Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes).
Why you need to know how to shut off your own water
During dangerous ice or snow, the City of Enterprise has said its Water Department crews may not be able to come out for shut-off requests because of road conditions. In that case, staff will try to talk you through shutting off the water at the meter by phone (City of Enterprise: Warns Residents of Extreme Cold, Offers Safety Tips (Jan 26, 2026)). The Water Department's number is (334) 347-1211 (City of Enterprise: Water Department).
The easiest fix is a shut-off valve on your side of the meter, where the line enters the house. If you don't have one, or it's frozen or seized, ask a plumber to install or replace it before winter. It's a small job compared with a flooded floor.
The night of the freeze
- Let a cold-water faucet drip. A slow trickle keeps water moving. If you can only drip one, pick the faucet farthest from your water meter (AL.com: Freezing weather in Alabama, how many faucets should you leave dripping? (Jan 25, 2026)). AL.com, citing Mississippi State University Extension, puts the cost of dripping one faucet at roughly 2 cents a night.
- Open sink cabinet doors on outside walls so warm air reaches the pipes. Move cleaners out of children's reach first (American Red Cross: Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes).
- Keep the garage door closed if water lines run through the garage (American Red Cross: Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes).
- Don't turn the thermostat down overnight. Keep it at the same setting day and night during the cold. If you'll be away, leave the heat on at no lower than 55°F (American Red Cross: Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes).
If a faucet only trickles: thawing a frozen pipe
- Leave the faucet open. As the ice melts, running water helps clear the rest (American Red Cross: Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes).
- Warm the pipe gently with a hair dryer, an electric heating pad, towels soaked in hot water, or a space heater kept away from anything flammable (American Red Cross: Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes).
- Never use an open flame. No torch, kerosene or propane heater, or charcoal stove (American Red Cross: Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes).
- Check every other faucet. If one pipe froze, others may have too (American Red Cross: Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes).
- Call a licensed plumber if you can't find the frozen section, can't reach it, or can't thaw it (American Red Cross: Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes).
If a pipe bursts
- Shut off the main water at your house valve, or at the meter if that's the only valve. Leave the faucets open (AL.com: Freezing weather in Alabama, how many faucets should you leave dripping? (Jan 25, 2026)).
- Stay clear of standing water near outlets, cords, or the electric panel. Turn off a breaker only if you can do it from a dry spot.
- Call the Water Department at (334) 347-1211 if you can't shut it off yourself (City of Enterprise: Water Department). In bad road conditions, expect phone guidance rather than a truck (City of Enterprise: Warns Residents of Extreme Cold, Offers Safety Tips (Jan 26, 2026)).
- Photograph the damage before cleanup if you'll file an insurance claim, then call a plumber. Our emergency plumbing guide covers what to tell them.
High water bill after the freeze?
A split pipe under the house or a cracked outside faucet can run for days before anyone notices. If your bill jumps after a cold snap, look for wet spots, listen for running water with everything off, and watch the meter's dial for movement (our leak detection page walks through it). If you think the meter itself is wrong, Enterprise lets you request a meter check: if the read was off you aren't charged, and if it was correct a $15 service fee is added to your bill. Call the Water Field Office at (334) 348-2652 or (334) 348-2639 (City of Enterprise Water Department: FAQs).
Frequently asked questions
What temperature do pipes freeze at in Alabama?
Water freezes at 32°F, but pipes usually freeze when it stays well below that for hours, especially with wind. Pipes in crawlspaces, garages, attics, and outside walls are the most at risk because they aren't heated or insulated.
Which faucet should I drip during a freeze in Enterprise?
A cold-water faucet, and if you can only drip one, the one farthest from your water meter, so water moves through the whole house. A slow, steady trickle is enough.
Will the City of Enterprise come shut off my water if a pipe bursts?
Normally you can call the Water Department at (334) 347-1211. The city has warned that during dangerous ice or snow, crews may not be able to respond to shut-off requests, and staff will instead try to guide you by phone on shutting off at the meter. Knowing where your own shut-off is avoids the wait.
Can I thaw a frozen pipe with a torch?
No. Use a hair dryer, an electric heating pad, hot towels, or a space heater kept away from flammable materials. The American Red Cross warns against blowtorches, kerosene or propane heaters, and any other open flame.
My water bill went up after the freeze. What should I do?
Check for a hidden leak first: turn off every fixture and watch whether the meter keeps moving. If you believe the meter read is wrong, Enterprise will check it; there's no charge if the read was off, and a $15 fee if it was correct.
Sources for these answers: City of Enterprise: Warns Residents of Extreme Cold, Offers Safety Tips (Jan 26, 2026); City of Enterprise: Water Department; City of Enterprise Water Department: FAQs; American Red Cross: Preventing & Thawing Frozen Pipes; AL.com: Freezing weather in Alabama, how many faucets should you leave dripping? (Jan 25, 2026)
Related services
- Emergency Plumbing: Burst pipes, major leaks, overflowing toilets and sewage backups.
- Leak Detection: Hidden leaks, high water bills, damp spots and slab leaks.