Protect Your Water Well Before a North Texas Freeze

With a large-scale freeze forecast for the Dallas-Fort Worth area this weekend, now is the time to make sure your water well is properly winterized. Extended cold events do not just cause inconvenience, they can lead to frozen lines, damaged equipment, and prolonged outages that take weeks to fully recover from.To protect a well from freezing, start by insulating all above-ground well casing and exposed piping with foam pipe insulation. Any pipe exposed to ambient air is vulnerable, including discharge lines, pressure tank connections, and surface-mounted equipment.

Heat tape can be used on exposed pipes, but it must be installed correctly. Run the tape straight along the length of the pipe rather than wrapping it around, and follow the manufacturer’s spacing and thermostat guidance. Improper installation can reduce effectiveness or damage the pipe.

Keeping water moving is another important safeguard. During sustained freezing temperatures, maintain a low, steady flow at an indoor faucet or recirculate water through a hose back to the well. This is especially important for surface pumps and shallow or exposed lines, where standing water can freeze quickly.

Pump houses and well houses should be fully insulated. If you have a larger pump house that contains most or all of the well equipment, a small space heater can be used to keep the interior above freezing. Always use indirect heat and keep heaters well clear of flammable materials. We do not recommend heat lamps, as they can deform PVC and other plastic components. If light is the only available option, use a low-wattage incandescent bulb, 100 watts maximum.

If you do lose water during a freeze, turn the pump off at the breaker immediately. Allowing a pump to run dry against frozen lines can burn it up quickly and turn a temporary freeze issue into a major repair. Once temperatures have been above freezing for several hours, you can turn the pump back on. If water does not return, it is time to call a professional.

In addition to turning off the well pump, you should drain the entire water system. Turn on the faucets and fill a bathtub, totes, or any other containers with water for later use, such as flushing toilets or other household needs. Doing this ensures there is no water left in the lines that could freeze.

These recommendations are not theoretical. During the February 2021 freeze, our team experienced firsthand how severe cold can overwhelm even well-prepared homeowners. Our office manager took calls from her kitchen table for nearly 12 hours a day over almost three straight days as systems across North Texas failed. We were backed up for weeks, doing everything possible to reach as many homes as we could. Many of those emergencies could have been prevented with basic winterization steps taken ahead of time.

Freeze events of this scale underscore a simple reality: once temperatures drop and equipment freezes, there are no quick fixes. Proper insulation, heat protection, and water movement put in place before the freeze are the best and often only defense.

If you have questions about winterizing your well or would like help preparing ahead of the freeze, contact Flowcore Water before temperatures fall. Proactive preparation is far less costly than emergency repairs after the fact.

By Janna