Cold Weather Tips
It looks like autumn finally caught up with Austin. Are you prepared?
By Monica Riese, 11:11AM, Mon. Dec. 10, 2012
Took you long enough, winter.
Many Austinites were still rocking T-shirts this weekend, as temperatures climbed to near 80 degrees. But a cool front blew through last night, and overnight lows tonight are expected to drop to freezing. Before they do, make sure you have everything in order:
• Disconnect garden hoses from faucets.
• Wrap exposed pipes to insulate them.
• If you haven't already, turn off all irrigation systems.
• Locate your water shut-off valve in case of a burst pipe.
• During prolonged freezes (yeah, right), let indoor faucets drip slowly.
• Cover large plants with sheets or blankets; move smaller, potted plants indoors whenever possible.
• Keep pets indoors.
• Make sure space heaters are on level, nonflammable surfaces.
Consider this a dry run before our first hard freeze of the year. This time, it's just a quick dip to cooler temps; we'll be back up into the 70s by the weekend.
Contact Austin Water or Austin Energy with any questions, or dial 311.
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Richard Whittaker, March 3, 2014
freeze, cold weather, weather, pipes, Austin Water, Austin Energy, pets, plants
