What to know to protect your home during extreme cold weather

As the weather gets colder, it’s time to take precautions and protect your home from the cold to prevent expensive repairs in the future.

News Center 7 talked to homeowners who learned from their own mistakes and aren’t taking any chances with the extreme cold.

“We will definitely leave our cabinets open on outside walls like in the bathroom, kitchen, and utility room,” Carolyn Reveal said.

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She said she already has her pipes wrapped, something her husband does every winter. Frozen pipes are an issue she knows all too well.

“Oh yeah, big pipe issues. The whole ceiling fell in one year,” Reveal said.

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With temperatures dropping to the teens, the city of Fairborn reminded homeowners in a Facebook post to let cold water drip from the faucet, to keep their house at a minimum of 55 degrees, and to wrap pipes with insulation or a pipe sock.

If your pipes have already frozen, there are a few things you can do, according to the American Red Cross.

You can wrap hot, wet towels around the pipes, use a hairdryer or an electric heating pad. You should only try one of these methods at a time, don’t try them all at once. If your pipes are unreachable then call your local plumber.

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