Winter Travel Tip for North Shore Homeowners
Every winter, we respond to frozen and burst pipe damage across the North Shore that starts the same way: a homeowner leaves town, turns the thermostat down to 50–55 degrees, and assumes the house is protected.
In extreme cold, thermostat settings don’t protect pipes in exterior walls, basements, crawlspaces, or near foundation areas—especially in older North Shore homes with finished basements or exterior-wall plumbing. We also see burst pipes flood mechanical areas and disable furnaces or boilers, knocking out heat and turning homes into frozen iceboxes. In some cases, homes must be safely thawed for days before repairs can even begin.
If you’re leaving town during winter weather:
Keep heat set no lower than 60–65 degrees
Shut off the main water supply
Have someone check the home during extreme cold
Heat reduces risk. Turning off the water prevents catastrophe.
We’ve published a detailed homeowner guide explaining why frozen pipes happen while you’re away and how to prevent major winter water damage.
