No freeze warning for Charleston right now
Freeze Warning in Charleston, WV? Protect Your Pipes Tonight
When a freeze reaches Charleston, the pipes most at risk run through exterior walls, crawl spaces, attics and garages. Let those faucets drip, open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls, keep the heat at 55°F or higher and find your main shut-off now. If a pipe has already burst, shut the main and call (888) 840-6512: the line is answered 24/7 and reaches an IICRC-certified restoration company covering your ZIP, which gives you an arrival window for your address on the call. Most water damage jobs in Charleston run $1,500–$8,500.
Press 1 for water damage or 2 for mold, then your 5-digit ZIP. The line goes quiet for about half a minute while it connects — that is normal, stay on. If it does not connect, call once more: companies taking calls change minute to minute.
Live status checked Nov 5, 2:15 AM ET · Source: National Weather Service, forecast zone WVZ015
Charleston freeze status
No freeze, hard freeze or extreme cold alert covers Charleston at the moment. The first hard freezes usually reach the northern states in late October and the South between December and February. This page updates on its own when the Weather Service issues one, and the official Charleston forecast shows the overnight lows.
How often Charleston gets cold enough to freeze pipes
In NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the nearest weather station, Charleston averages 94.3 nights a year at or below 32°F and 22.6 at or below 20°F, the temperature at which pipes in unheated spaces start to freeze. The median first 20°F night is Dec 1, so finish winterizing before then. Compare Charleston with 500 other U.S. cities.
Charleston's weather and your pipes
Charleston area water damage risk reflects West Virginia's flood-prone topography and severe weather exposure. Mountain topography concentrates rainfall into narrow creek and river valleys at alarming speed — 2-foot flood rises in 15 minutes have been recorded in WV creek events. Hollow communities with impacted coal seams have compromised natural drainage that worsens flooding. Winter ice storms cause roof damage enabling water intrusion, and spring snowmelt from Appalachian highlands creates flooding in virtually every major WV watershed annually. WV's regulatory environment for contractors is administered through the WV Division of Labor.
Before, during and after a freeze in Charleston
1. Before it gets cold
Disconnect garden hoses, shut and drain outdoor spigots if you have an inside valve, and walk to your main shut-off so you can find it in the dark.
2. The night of the freeze
Let faucets on exterior walls drip, open the cabinet doors under those sinks, keep the thermostat at 55°F or higher even if you are away, and keep the garage door closed.
3. If a pipe freezes
Leave the faucet open and warm the pipe from the faucet end with a hair dryer or heating pad, never an open flame. If water does not return, look for a split before it thaws.
4. If a pipe bursts
Close the main shut-off, switch off power to wet rooms at the breaker, photograph everything, then get the water out and the structure dried before mold starts in 24 to 48 hours.
More for Charleston
Kanawha County, West Virginia
Charleston freeze questions
Is there a freeze warning in Charleston tonight?
Not as of Nov 5, 2:15 AM ET. This page reads the National Weather Service feed for Charleston's forecast zone every 30 minutes and changes the moment a freeze, hard freeze or extreme cold alert is issued.
At what temperature do pipes freeze in Charleston?
Uninsulated pipes in unheated spaces are at risk once the air around them stays at or below about 20°F for several hours. In Charleston, as anywhere, the pipes that freeze first run through exterior walls, crawl spaces, attics and garages. A pipe usually splits while frozen and floods when it thaws.
What should I do if a pipe bursts in Charleston?
Shut off the main water valve, open the lowest faucet to drain the lines, turn off power to any wet room at the breaker panel, and photograph the damage. Then get the water out and the walls and floor dried with moisture meters: drywall, insulation and framing left wet for 24 to 48 hours are where mold starts.
Who do I call right now for water damage?
Call (888) 840-6512. The line is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and connects you with an IICRC-certified water damage restoration company that serves your area. A recorded menu picks up first: choose water damage or mold, key in your 5-digit ZIP code, and hold through the short silence while the call is passed to the company.
Describe what you can see — where the water is coming from, how long it has been there, and whether it smells — the more specific you are, the faster the right company is on the line. If the source is a pipe or an appliance, shut the main water valve first. Have four things ready and the call goes quickly: the address, when the water started, what is wet now, and whether you have filed an insurance claim.
Still not sure which of these is your situation? (888) 840-6512 · toll-free · answered 24/7