Winter Home Emergency Index · 2026 edition
Washington, DC: 72nd of 100 for winter heat and burst-pipe searches
Washington has 8.6 typical December–February searches for furnace, frozen-pipe and emergency plumber help per 1,000 households, 30% below the median city (12.3). That's less than its normal winter cold predicts (0.58x), 84th of 99 cities on this measure.
Winter in Washington
- Search demand typically peaks in January, when it runs 2.30x the city's yearly average.
- 25% of winter searches are for urgent problems: burst or frozen pipes, no heat, emergency furnace repair.
- Emergency plumber searches add up to about 11.0 per 1,000 households a year.
- A normal December–February brings 2,277 heating degree days at Washington Reagan National Airport.
Homes in Washington
- The median home was built in 1957.
- 70% of homes were built before 1980.
- 49% of households heat with gas and 46% with electricity.
- 41% of households own their home.
- 321,556 households in city limits (ACS 2023).
Washington ranks 79th in the Summer AC Emergency Index. See Washington's summer page.
About these numbers
Search demand from Google Ads, Oct 2022 to Sep 2026, for 30 heating and plumbing terms. Each month uses the median of that calendar month across four years. "Washington" is the location as Google Ads defines it; households are city limits. This measures searches, not breakdowns or claims. Full methodology.
Cite: Home Stats Data, "Washington, DC ranks 72nd of 100 for winter heat and burst-pipe searches," October 24, 2026, https://homestatsdata.com/plumbing/frozen-pipe-statistics/washington-dc/