OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Frigid temperatures are here to stay, at least throughout the weekend.
That means it's important to protect yourself and your home from the cold.
As temperatures dip into the negatives, plumbers are reminding homeowners how to prevent their pipes from freezing.
"We've been getting calls about faucets not working anymore inside the house or even burst pipes, where water is actually starting to come through the walls or the ceilings or causing damage to the house," said Justin Osborne with PlumbRite.
Osborne said the current cold streak has kept business busy but adds that some of it could have been prevented by a few simple steps.
"Make sure all your exterior doors and windows are closed. Make sure your furnace on and running. You can leave all the interior doors to the house say to the doors the basement or bedrooms that might be closed usually open to get some warm air flowing through the house," said Osborne.
Osborne said in extreme conditions, there is another trick.
He said to leave your water dripping as a little bit of running water will help keep water from freezing.
For many, their main water line is not underground, leaving pipes more vulnerable to these cold temps.
"Exposed piping... you can try to wrap some insulation around it essentially keep the wind and the airflow off of those pipes as much as possible so as much cover as you can get on those," said Osborne.
He said these few tips are free and easy, especially compared to the stress and cost of having burst pipes.
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