You generally need to drip faucets during hard freezes, especially in homes with vulnerable plumbing.

Key rule of thumb

  • Start dripping indoor faucets when:
    • Outside temps are expected to fall to around 20°F (about −6°C) or lower for several hours, especially overnight.
* You have known risk factors: older pipes, pipes in uninsulated or drafty areas, history of freezing, or power outages (no heat).
  • Stop dripping when:
    • Daytime and nighttime temperatures are consistently above freezing (above 32°F / 0°C), and your home is being heated normally.

Which faucets to drip

  • Prioritize:
    • Faucets fed by pipes in exterior walls, unheated basements, crawl spaces, attics, or garages.
* A faucet that is farthest from your water meter or main shutoff, so water moves through the longest run of pipe.
  • In larger homes:
    • Let at least one faucet drip in each section or floor of the house.

How much to drip

  • Aim for a small trickle , not a full stream:
    • About one drop every few seconds to one–two drips per second is often recommended.
* In extremely cold weather (near 0°F or below), a slightly stronger trickle is safer.
  • If possible, run both hot and cold:
    • On two‑handle faucets, open both handles slightly.
    • On single‑handle faucets, set the handle in the middle so both hot and cold lines move.

Why dripping matters

  • Moving water is less likely to freeze inside pipes, and a small flow helps relieve pressure so pipes are less likely to burst if ice does form.
  • The small increase in your water bill is usually much cheaper than repairing burst pipes and water damage.

Simple example scenario

  • Forecast: 16°F tonight, 28°F daytime tomorrow, older home with some pipes on exterior walls.
    • Evening: Open key faucets to a slow drip (both hot and cold where possible), open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls, and keep heat on.
* After the cold snap passes and temps stay above freezing day and night: turn the faucets fully off.

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Wondering when you need to drip faucets? Learn the temperature threshold, which taps to drip, and how much water to run to protect pipes in freezing weather. Mini headings you can use

  • What temperature to drip faucets
  • Which faucets to drip in winter
  • How much should a faucet drip?
  • When it’s safe to stop dripping
  • Tips from cold‑weather homeowners and forums

You can also weave in a brief “forum discussion” angle, e.g.:

Many homeowners say they only drip when temps hit the low teens or pipes have frozen before, while others prefer to start around 20°F just to be safe.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.