Weather-Ready Homes in Central Texas: A Builder’s Guide to Protecting Your Home
Central Texas is known for its “three seasons”—hot, really hot, and a few scattered weeks of cold. While it’s a local joke (because it’s true), our climate brings real challenges: sudden freezes, heavy winds, intense rainfall, and the annual deluge of pollen and leaves. These conditions can test even the most carefully built homes, including irrigation systems, exterior finishes, and mechanical equipment.
Below is a curated checklist to help you prepare your home for our unique climate. Even if some steps seem familiar, having a plan ensures that nothing important is overlooked.
Preparing for Extended Freezes
Most homes in our region have their plumbing lines buried below the freeze line—typically at least 12 inches beneath grade—to offer natural protection. However, depth can vary based on the age of the home and soil conditions. Even with insulation, plumbing near exterior walls remains vulnerable during prolonged cold spells.
Protecting Interior Plumbing
If pipes freeze at sinks or toilets, it’s usually due to a frozen supply line. To prevent this:
Keep your home warm and open vanity or kitchen cabinet doors to allow heat to reach pipes.
During severe or extended freezes, let the faucet farthest from your water source drip slowly to keep water moving and prevent pressure buildup.
If you’ll be traveling during freezing weather, turn off the main water supply and bleed the lines before you leave.
Protecting Irrigation Systems
Irrigation lines sit much closer to grade and are filled with water, making them particularly vulnerable to freezing and bursting.
To safeguard your system:
Shut off the irrigation water supply and purge irrigation lines.
Disable timers during freezing conditions—running sprinklers at these temperatures can create hazardous sheets of ice on walkways and lawns.
Wind + Rain: Protecting Your Exterior
Strong winds and sudden downpours can appear with little warning in Central Texas. Preventative maintenance is key to reducing damage and protecting your home’s exterior finishes and landscaping.
Tree + Landscape Management
Trim trees and foliage at least 36 inches away from the home and eliminate overhang where possible.
Have an arborist routinely inspect large/ protected trees near the structure for stress fractures or rot.
Maintain tight, healthy canopies to reduce the risk of damage from freezing rain or ice accumulation.
Exterior Items + Structures
Secure or store patio furniture, heaters, swings, shutters, and trampolines during high winds.
Anchor movable items to the ground or bring them inside before storms arrive.
Managing Rainwater
Proper drainage is essential for protecting your home’s structure and foundation.
Grading
The ground around your home should sit at least six inches below the floor level and slope away from the structure. Poor grading encourages water to collect near the foundation, increasing the risk of intrusion and long-term structural issues.
Gutters
Most gutter systems are designed for standard rainfall—not the heavy, sustained downpours we often experience.
Homes without gutters are more susceptible to foundation erosion and moisture infiltration.
Clogged gutters can cause water to back up, overrun fascia, or infiltrate roof assemblies.
Clean all gutters and downspouts regularly, including systems with shields or screens.
If your property uses French drains or drain basins, ensure they remain free of debris.
Maintenance + Safety: Staying Warm the Right Way
Home comfort is essential—but safety should always come first.
Space heaters and warming lamps should never be left on unattended or placed near rugs, curtains, or other flammable materials.
Avoid using fireplaces without proper ventilation or a functioning chimney, as this increases the risk of carbon monoxide and fire.
Mechanical Systems
If your home uses a heat-pump HVAC system, the exterior condenser may sound unusually loud during extended freezes. This is normal, though the system may deliver limited heating in extreme cold.
Older furnace-based systems often perform better in prolonged freezes, but all systems benefit from proactive seasonal maintenance:
Clean condensate drain lines
Replace air filters
Test heating performance before the first cold snap
Because Texans rely on heat only occasionally, catching issues early prevents major headaches when temperatures suddenly drop.
A Builder’s Perspective
The most effective way to avoid many of these challenges is to build a home designed for the realities of Central Texas weather. At Alabaster, we proactively address these concerns during design and construction, ensuring your property is both beautiful and resilient for decades.
If you are remodeling or upgrading your forever home, following these guidelines can help prevent costly repairs and extend the life of your investment.
As winter approaches, our hope is that your home remains warm, dry, and filled with the people you love most.
Merry Christmas from the entire Alabaster Team.
Tony Villarreal | Alabaster Austin
