SAN ANTONIO -- Temperatures are once again expected to dip back down below freezing Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. It's important to protect the 3 P's - plants, pets and pipes - from the cold water. But also remember people and user heater safety.
- Many plants won't survivie the freeze
- Limit outdoor time for pets
- Wrapping your pipes may prevent disaster
Experts say some plants can survive these short cold snaps. But many of the plants we plant in South and Central Texas are sensitive to the cold temperatures and could end up freezing and die.
It's recommended you bring those plants inside or close to your home in a warmer spot, which is usually the south side of your house. You could just cover them up with a fabric sheet to conserve heat coming up from the soil.
"The plants are doing just fine because the soil or the dirt or rock is still warm enough to protect them," says Oscar W. Van Auken of the University of Texas at San Antonio. "But as we proceed later and later in the year it's going to get colder and colder and those plants will finally die."
A doggy daycare says if you can't bring your dogs to a day care be sure to limit their time outside, even those potty breaks. Also, don't send them out wet.
And when you send them outside make sure you are with them or watching them. Shaking, shivering or just looking uncomfortable are signs of getting too cold, and the worst-case scenario is hypothermia.
You can always put a sweater on your pup and give them blankets. If it's too cold for us, it's probably too cold for them.
"Definitely just make sure they are comfortable, make sure that they are warm, and if anything keep them inside as much as you can," says Sophia Gutierrez of Lucy's Doggy Daycare and Spa I know it can be fun weather but safety is first always, no matter the weather conditions. Just keep them inside, keeping warm and comfortable."
Pipe experts say the most common pipes to freeze are those located against exterior walls or outdoors. You can purchase a pipe sleeve that keeps it warm or just wrap a dry towel or newspaper around exposed pipe.
Other common pipes include swimming pool and sprinklers lines. You can follow manufacture instructions to clear the lines before temps drop below freezing.
For inside pipes, open up the cabinets to circulate warm air. Allow a faucet to drip to keep consistent water flow because if those pipes freeze they can burst.
"Water has a very unique property in that it expands when it freezes," says Michael Vela of the American Red Cross. "That expansion can put a tremendous amount of pressure on whatever is containing it which can include metal or plastic pipes so you want to make sure you are full prepared for any cold weather coming up so that way you won't have to pay damages later and you are preventing an issue from occurring."