To leave the faucets dripping or not to leave the faucets dripping, that is the question.

[raccoon]

In an area that doesn't usually experience bitterly cold weather (20's F and below), I've always heard to leave the faucets dripping
at night so the pipes won't freeze.

A coworker who grew up in IN told me she never did that. Also that the pipes could freeze even if you did that.

Is that something you only need to do if you live in an old, un-updated dwelling?

[Renew Deal]

1. The theory is that moving water doesn't freeze

It's something to consider if you have pipes on exterior walls.

[dr.strangelove]

2. We do it on nights where it is particularly cold, a lot colder than 20 degrees.

Our kitchen sink in on an exterior wall. We upped the insulation in that wall, but on nights when its in the single digits, we still let it drip into a pitcher. We open up the door to the cabinet under the sink also. The theory is that it lets the heat of the room better access to the pipes that are exposed. Never had a pipe freeze, but I certainly understand hwo it could do it.

[In_The_Wind]

3. If the pipes are not wrapped with electric heat tape letting the water drip might be a good idea.

We had a pipe break our first winter here. I've let it drip on nights that get into the single digits since then.

[mnhtnbb]

4. To make the decision whether to leave faucets dripping

it helps to consider the risk factors:

Are the pipes on an outside wall? North facing (aren't warmed by sun during the day)?
Age of the house? Quality of insulation?
Are you expecting single digit temps?

Our new house was finished in 2011. Built to code with lots of insulation. Yet two years ago, when we had temps in the low teens,
a pipe froze in our master bathroom. Fortunately, it did not burst. Since then when the temps get in the teens, we leave the cabinet
doors open and prop open the glass door to the shower so heat will go in there. We also close the bathroom door to keep heat from
the vent in the bathroom rather than going out in to the bedroom. The master is on a separate zone, so we up the heat at night to 70
(usually let it fall to 65 at night in the winter). When we expect single digit temps, we leave the sink faucets dripping slightly in the
master bath. We've never had any more trouble.

Our house is also built on steel beams on a hill. The area of the master bedroom/bath is not on foundation, so it's like bridges where
the street will freeze sooner than the road due to the cold air circulating under it.

Hope this helps.

[2naSalit]

5. When in doubt, let the water run

a stream about the width of a pencil lead. It's a common practice in my area, the colder it gets the more people do this. I do it when temps get -10F or colder even though my pipes are on outer walls. I take care of two other dwellings and one has to have the water run if it's freezing, the other doesn't seem to need it at -50F.

Just depends on you're building but when in doubt, let it run.

[fizzgig]

6. it really does depend

i've lived in colorado my whole life and have experienced frozen pipes once but that's because they froze in the next unit over.

we can spend a week or two with overnight lows below zero but running the faucet isn't necessary if the pipes are interior or well insulated, at least in my experience. however, letting the faucet run is a good idea if they're exterior pipes and it's going to get really cold.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. If you have a water pipe along an outside wall

or inside a kitchen cabinet, especially if you don't have enough insulation in those places, it's a good idea. Before I had some remodeling work done on my old house, I'd run a little stream of water in the kitchen sink and the bathtub whenever it went below zero at night. One time I forgot to do that and the line to the bathtub froze - it didn't break but no water came out - and I had to take a hair dryer to the pipe in the basement to thaw it out.

[csziggy]

8. We do it between about 15 and 28 degrees to keep the well from freezing

The pipes from the well to the house are buried but the pipes coming out of the well to the tank are not. They are insulated so most cold nights they are OK. We also drain the plastic pipes in the barn - they are far too prone to freezing and splitting.

Below 15 degrees, we shut everything off and drain. One year when it got down to 8 degrees we left the water running. Not only did the pipes and the well freeze, we had an ice slick all the way down the hill.

We're in North Florida so there are not that many nights when we have to worry about pipes freezing. If we were farther north, we would make better provisions for the well and replumb the barn so we didn't have to worry about the pipes there.

[Thor_MN]

9. Depends on the insulation and house.

If it's insulated properly and the house has a basement, there's no need. There's been periods here of multiple weeks where the temp did not get above zero and no problems. OTOH, a house with no/poor insulation and/or a just crawl space or on a slab might have problems.

Best bet, ask your neighbors, they know what's normal locally. This week, 20's is a warm spell (and this winter has been mild).

[elleng]

10. To answer the question, 24+ hours later,

my landlord said 'wouldn't hurt,' so I'll do it.

It's 23 degrees here now, @ 11:40 pm est in southern MD, MAY reach 33 tomorrow, but not above 20-something Saturday and Sunday, so will be dripping. OLD house, but he showed me indoor pipes, as well as turn-off valve. Hoping for no emergencies!