Will Pipes Freeze in Delaware County, OH? 38 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Delaware County
In a normal year Delaware County, OH gets 38 nights at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 54% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs November to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 112 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 38 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 12 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 3 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 38 nights of risk to 12 nights. A 12 ft heat-tape kit runs $17 to $37; an average burst-pipe repair is about $500.
Month by month
Nights at or below 20°F in a normal year.
First 32°F night is usually around 10/24, last around 04/22. For 20°F: 11/27 to 03/18.
How cold Delaware County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 21°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, March, December: 12 nights a year, and 3 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21°F | 23°F | 31°F | 41°F | 52°F | 61°F | 65°F | 63°F | 55°F | 44°F | 34°F | 27°F |
Delaware County next to its neighbours
Union County, OH, 31 km west, gets 41 nights below 20°F to Delaware County's 38 nights. Franklin County, OH, 34 km south, gets 36 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware County, OH | - | 112 nights | 38 nights | 21°F |
| Union County, OH | 31 km west | 115 nights | 41 nights | 20°F |
| Morrow County, OH | 33 km northeast | 134 nights | 55 nights | 17°F |
| Franklin County, OH | 34 km south | 112 nights | 36 nights | 21°F |
| Marion County, OH | 37 km north | 128 nights | 51 nights | 18°F |
| Licking County, OH | 49 km southeast | 126 nights | 45 nights | 19°F |
| Knox County, OH | 51 km east | 145 nights | 59 nights | 16°F |
Delaware County within OH
Delaware County ranks 73 of 88 OH counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Williams County, OH at 61 nights, with a 19°F average winter low. The fewest is Scioto County, OH: 28 nights, winter lows near 24°F. At 950 ft, Delaware County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 916 ft.
What to do here
- Insulate every pipe in unheated space before the season starts.
- Heat tape on the runs you cannot insulate well.
- Shut off and drain outdoor spigots for the season.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Westerville, OH, 18 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. What a "fair" or "distant" station match means is in the method guide.