Preparing your home for the Arctic blast coming through North Texas

NORTH TEXAS - As the Arctic blast moves through North Texas, people need to prepare their houses and apartments now.

CBS News Texas spoke with Willard Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical for the best advice to protect your pluming system:

• Insulate your pipes, especially in unheated areas such as the attic, basement, and exterior walls. They recommend using a thick foam insulation that covers the entire length of the pipe.
• Keep cabinet doors open which will help let warm air circulate around the pipes and help prevent them from freezing.
• Let faucets drip during the Arctic blast. This will help keep the water moving and prevent the pipes from freezing.
• Keep thermostat set at a consistent temperature throughout the winter, this will help keep your pipes from freezing and keep your energy bills low.
• Know where your shutoff valves are in case a pipe freezes and bursts.

Cliff Walker, Assistant Regional Manager of Willard Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical tells CBS News Texas homeowners should also turn on their heat now before the Arctic blast arrives, "Make sure that it comes on, make sure that it's functioning properly because what we don't want is the first time it gets turned on is Sunday when we're in those below freezing temperatures."

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CBS News Texas also reached out to Dallas Plumbing and said once a pipe freezes, there's little you can do to warm it up in a safe way, "Once a pipe freezes, we can't do anything about it. So the best that you can do is prevent it. If a pipe is on an exterior wall and it's exposed, let's get that covered up," said Thomas Evans, Plumbing Manager for Dallas Plumbing.

According to the Texas Department of Insurance, know your coverages. For burst pipes, ask your agent if your home or renters policy covers sudden and accidental water damage. This coverage pays for damage from burst pipes. Flood insurance doesn't pay for damage caused by burst pipes.

Home and renters policies might not pay for damages caused by frozen pipes if you didn't take steps to protect your pipes, such as keeping the heater on in your house.

• For more advice on Willard Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical, click here: https://www.willardac.com/blog/how-to-prepare-for-a-winter-storm/
• For more on Dallas Plumbing, click here: https://www.dallasplumbing.com/