Why Oklahoma City pipes freeze
Central Oklahoma does not get months of steady cold. It gets mild weeks interrupted by arctic outbreaks, often with strong north wind. On February 16, 2021, Oklahoma City dropped to minus 14°F, its second-lowest temperature on record behind minus 17°F in 1899, according to the Oklahoma Climatological Survey. Many homes here were built with plumbing in attics, garages, crawlspaces and exterior walls, which is fine for summer and risky for a week like that one.
The damage usually shows up after the freeze breaks. A pipe that split while frozen starts leaking when the ice melts, often while you are at work or asleep. According to IBHS, even a one-eighth-inch split can let out more than 250 gallons in a single day.
Before the next hard freeze: know where your main water shutoff is, disconnect garden hoses, cover or shut off outdoor spigots, open cabinet doors on outside walls, and drip faucets when temperatures head toward 20°F.
