Updated January 17, 2024 at 4:37 pm.
The National Weather Service is forecasting freezing temperatures for Friday and Saturday nights, January 19 & 20. Here’s how to protect your home and landscape.
PROTECTING YOUR HOME
Prior to Freezing Weather
Locate your water shutoff and make sure it works.
Find your house’s water main shutoff valve and turn it on and off to ensure it works. Keep it accessible and clear of obstacles. Shutoff valves are usually found on the perimeter of the house, often between the garage and laundry room. If you cannot find your shutoff valve or if it is damaged, a second shutoff valve is located in your meter box at the curb.
Insulate exposed pipes.
Insulate pipes in unheated and drafty areas, such as an attic or garage. Hardware and plumbing supply stores carry insulation to help keep pipes from freezing. Also, check manufacturer recommendations for your water heater.
Prepare outside faucets.
Remove all connected hoses and wrap faucets with towels or install Styrofoam insulators.
Drain and winterize your irrigation backflow preventer.
Learn how to perform this essential step here.
Prepare before leaving town.
If you plan to be away during the freeze, turn your water off at the water main shutoff valve, open faucets to drain water and leave them open, open cabinet doors below all sinks, and set your thermostat to 65 degrees or higher. Be sure you are signed up for leak alerts from WaterSmart – don’t come home to a disaster.
During Freezing Weather
Turn off water and then open faucets.
At night, turn off your water at your house main water shutoff valve (shutoff valves are commonly located between the garage and laundry room). After doing so, run all faucets until water no longer flows out and leave the faucets open. During hours when you need ready access to water, slightly drip your faucets.
Keep the thermostat at room temperature, day and night.
Avoid turning down at night (your energy bill will be cheaper than repairing frozen pipes).
Protect indoor faucets.
Open cabinets beneath kitchen and bathroom sinks to allow warm air to circulate around pipes.
Do not isolate rooms by closing doors.
This can make those areas more likely to freeze.
Keep garage doors closed.
PROTECTING YOUR LANDSCAPE
Prior to Freezing Weather
Add a 4 inch layer of mulch around the base of each plant.
This is an excellent way to insulate the root system from freezing temperatures. Leaves and pine straw from plantless areas of your landscape work well.
Water Plants.
Water a day or two before a freeze.
Cover Plants.
Cover with a breathable fabric to insulate them from freezing temperatures. Examples of coverings include cloth sheets, quilts, blankets, or commercial frost cloths. You can use plastic or tarps but be sure to remove during a sunny day or provide ventilation to keep from overheating.
Apply a heat source.
Placing a light bulb or string of Christmas lights (not LED’s, which do not emit heat) under a cover works well to provide heat.
Move plants in containers into protected areas.
If you must leave containers outdoors, push them together and protect with a covering and, if you can, pile mulch or leaves around the pots to reduce heat loss through the container walls.
After a Freeze
Water plants.
After a freeze, especially on a sunny day, plants can lose water because the water in the soil or container medium is frozen. Watering plants also helps thaw the soil.
Be careful with pruning.
After a freeze, you can remove dead leaves once they turn brown. Wait to do any severe pruning until new growth appears and the there is no risk of additional freezes. Pruning too soon will make them more susceptible to damage should it freeze again.
Be certain before replacing “dead” plants.
Some plants take longer to show signs than others after a freeze. Wait a couple months into the growing season before assuming a plant is dead. Large shrubs and trees may take even longer. Consider consulting an arborist before removing a tree. For help dealing with specific plants species click here or scan QR code.
