Texas is known for being hot most of the year, but when it gets cold, it gets REALLY COLD! In recent years, freezing temperatures have put Texas to a halt, bursting pipes, flooding homes, cutting off electricity, and causing thousands of dollars in damages to homeowners.
Landlords of home rentals, please make sure your properties are prepared for the freeze, or make sure your tenants know what to do. Prevention is key.
The Kastens Group compiled a quick Go-To list of links with information homeowners need for Freeze Preparation:
Winterizing Your Home
Source: Texas Farm Bureau Insurance
Source: Steve Unger from Premier Pools & Spas in Houston
Plant Preparation (source: Enchanted Forest of Richmond, TX)
- Bring all potted plants and trees inside if possible
- Cover large plants and trees with frost cloth, blankets, or sheets and secure with twine or zip-ties
- Water plants and trees well
- Mulch tree and flower beds to lock in moisture. It acts like a ‘blanket’ for the roots.
Reminder to DRIP YOUR FAUCETS!
How and When to Drip Your Faucets During a Freeze (Source: Austin Water)
Let’s hope this doesn’t happen, but if you do have a ‘water emergency’ such as a broken pipe, you will need to shut off the water at the meter box by the sidewalk. The video shows the user with a ‘water meter key’ but if you don’t have one, use a crescent wrench.
Water meter access shut off (Source: City of Bedford, TX)
Here are suggested items you can purchase to help protect your home:
- FAUCET COVER: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hard-Outdoor-Faucet-Cover-1981/204759083
- BACKFLOW VALVE COVER: https://www.homedepot.com/p/20-in-x-15-in-Backflow-Valve-Cover-247789/202278772
- PLANT COVERS:
https://amzn.to/3HTekqG
Other than protecting your own home from the freeze, please remember to check on your neighbors, friends, the elderly, and outdoor pets. Some neighbors may be out of town, so those hones may go neglected during a freeze, as well. Stay warm, Texas!