Preparing for this weekend’s bitter cold

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - We’re just two days awake from a Storm Team 12 weather alert for extreme cold.

Before you kick off your weekend, you’ll want to prepare your home for below-freezing temperatures.

We could see feels-like temperatures at 20 degrees below zero as early as Monday. If you make the mistake of not preparing your home now, you could be in for some expensive repairs next week.

Here’s what you should keep in mind:

If your home is newer and your furnace is working, you shouldn’t have too many issues with this freeze. But if your home is older, you need to make sure to leave water dripping and your cabinet doors open to circulate air and keep your pipes from freezing.

Britt Moore, the owner of PD Plumbing, Heating & Cooling in Augusta shared what could happen if you don’t follow those guidelines.

“The pipes could freeze up and cause water damage,” Moore said. “If the pipes do happen to freeze up, people should shut the water off so when it unthaws it doesn’t cause an issue.

“Then, if they’re comfortable, slowly turn the water back on and inspect for leaks. Maybe check the water meter if they’re competent doing that. If not, call a plumber and ask them to come and kick the water back on and double check that there are no big issues.”

PD Plumbing has additional tips for maintaining your HVAC system on their website. They’re open 24/7 if you run into issue this weekend.