You generally only need to leave faucets dripping during hard freezes, when there’s a real risk your pipes could freeze and burst.

Key temperature rule

  • Most plumbers suggest dripping faucets when the outside temperature is expected to fall below about 20°F (around −6 °C), especially for several hours overnight.
  • If your home has poor insulation, older plumbing, or exposed pipes, many experts advise starting closer to 32°F (0 °C) to be safe.

Which faucets to drip

  • Prioritize faucets on exterior walls or connected to pipes in unheated spaces like garages, crawl spaces, attics, or unheated basements.
  • Many guides recommend choosing the faucet farthest from where the water enters your home so water moves through the longest stretch of pipe.

How much and how long

  • A very small, steady drip or thin trickle is enough; a stream wastes water without adding much protection.
  • Keep the drip going as long as temperatures stay at or below freezing, especially overnight, and you can turn it off once outside temps are safely above 32°F and rising again.

Extra quick tips

  • If possible, let both hot and cold sides drip a little, since both lines can freeze.
  • Pair dripping with other steps: open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls and add pipe insulation where you can for better protection and less water use.

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