Last-minute preparations: Plumber’s advice on how to protect your home from freezing temperatures

HOUSTON – As temperatures begin to dip down to the below freezing mark, plumbers are reminding people to cover their pipes.

"Anything below 28 degrees there's a possible chance it will freeze, last year we had a ton of calls on the outside with the irrigation valves and hose bibs not being covered that did bust and break," said Matt Ash, a plumber with the company Joe the Plumber.

Ash has been a plumber for 17 years. He said if people were not able to get insulators for their pipes, they can use a towel, wrap it around the pipe and then place duct tape around it.

"As far as your hose bibs, put your insulation around it and wrap it good, as long as you have the pipe exposed and the brass on it wrapped it should be able to protect it," explained Ash.  " Also, on you irrigation valves, you can turn the valves off.  They have two parts on the side, if you open them up in here and turn them on it will actually drain the irrigation valves down and protect them if they do freeze they won't blow out, because if they do blow out they'll bust your line and you'll be without water."

He also said people can leave their faucets dripping which will help prevent the pipes from freezing