Cold weather is expected to move into the East Texas area later this week, but experts say now is the time to make sure you are prepared for the cold blast.
As the cold weather approaches, experts say there are several things you have to look out for, beginning in your home.
“You want to make sure your faucets are covered, exterior faucets. If you’re on a pier and beam house you want to make sure that your pipes underneath it are wrapped,” Roy Greenlee with Greenlee Hardware said.
Greenlee said Styrofoam wrapping will prevent your pipes from freezing and potentially bursting which can cause damage to your home.
“You might not even know it. It may be a small little crack and once everything falls out it will be spraying. If you don’t catch it soon enough it could turn into a really big problem,” he explained.
It’s also important to take extra care of your pets. Experts say older pets or smaller ones that are a little frail need to come inside. But for pets who must remain outside, Gayle Helms with Pets Fur People said they need some sort of shelter to escape the cold.
“Make them off up the ground a little bit maybe on those wooden pallets just so they’re not on the cold ground. Put fresh hay in there,” she said.
Helms also said make sure pets stay well fed to help them stay warm.
“If you eat more you’re going to be able to stay warmer. But just treat them like you would a family member because if you’re cold they’re cold,” she explained.
Experts also say when the cold hits, check in on elderly neighbors or family members and move plants indoors as well.