Experts give tips on protecting your pipes from freezing temperatures

have to begin with the big freeze that's expected to hit our area next week we're expecting low temps in the low maybe mid 20s both Tuesday and Wednesday mornings good evening Southeast Texas I'm Jordan Williams it's the time to prepare and we want to make sure you and your home are ready for that extreme cold 12 news reporter Gloria Walker is live at 6 and Gloria you sat down or went around we'll say with some of the plumbing experts today what are they telling you well that's exactly right Jordan I went around with Henry laka who's had 50 years in the plumbing business and he's really seen it all especially during these cold temperatures so whether your house sits high up or flat on the ground he says his best advice is to protect your pipes start preparing now insulating pipes and wrapping faucets have kept Henry Lorca Plumbing busy these days ahead of the Arctic temperatures homeowners are trying to prepare for the freeze by utilizing the four Ps pipes pets people and plants get your insulation go around the outside of your house wrap your pipes get everything ready before Jack Frost makes his arrival and uh if you protect the pipes you've got a good chance that they won't freeze to avoid potential catastrophic damage to their homes like bursted pipes and collapsing ceilings the professionals say it pays to not skip these steps even if your home may be elevated above the ground because if you have a house it's let's say it's on peers blocks and beams uh the pipes are under the house so you can put siding uh or plastic along the outside on the like skirting to prevent the air from blowing under there and freezing the pipes and with less than a week to prep your home there are potentials for those products to sell out leaving you to sometimes be creative you can't find the pipe insulation you can use plastic you can wrap old newspapers around the pipes put some plastic or garbage bags around them you can take if you have a high hydrant in the yard you can put a bucket over it or or anything to kind of insulate it leaving teams like Lorca Plumbing giving out lasting advice for homeowners who may not take these temperatures serious although we have a lot of great plumbers in our area we have more homes and and more pipes that break than we have plumbers and just like he said if you run into problems where you can't find the proper equipment you can use these plastic bags that you have from the grocery store or anything around your house to protect your pipes and protect your pipes underneath in your home reporting live in Bowmont Gloria Walker 12 News layers