Preparing for freezing temperatures means protecting your home, your body, your pets, and your vehicles before the cold arrives. Most of the damage from a hard freeze happens because people act too late, not because they didn’t know what to do. Here’s a practical breakdown of everything worth doing before temperatures drop below 32°F.
Protect Your Pipes First
Burst pipes are the most common and most expensive consequence of a freeze. Water expands as it freezes, and the pressure buildup inside a pipe can split copper and plastic alike. The pipes most at risk are those running along exterior walls, in unheated garages, in crawl spaces, and in attics.
Open cabinet doors under kitchen and bathroom sinks to let warm indoor air reach the pipes. For any faucet served by exposed or vulnerable plumbing, let it drip overnight. You don’t need a steady stream. Mississippi State University Extension recommends a trickle slow enough to fill a gallon pitcher in about an hour. That small amount of moving water is enough to relieve pressure and prevent a burst.
If you have outdoor hose bibs, disconnect the hoses and shut off the interior valve that feeds them. Foam faucet covers (available at any hardware store for a few dollars) add a layer of insulation over the spigot itself. For pipes in uninsulated spaces like crawl spaces or garages, wrap them with pipe insulation sleeves or heat tape before the freeze hits.
Keep Your Home Warm and Safe
Set your thermostat to at least 55°F, even if you’re leaving town. That baseline keeps interior walls warm enough to protect plumbing and prevents condensation problems. If you use a programmable thermostat, override the nighttime setback during a hard freeze and keep the temperature consistent around the clock.
Space heaters are a common backup, but they’re also a leading cause of house fires in winter. The U.S. Fire Administration requires keeping portable heaters at least 3 feet from anything that can burn: curtains, bedding, furniture, clothing. Plug them directly into a wall outlet rather than an extension cord, and never leave one running while you sleep or leave the house.
If you lose power and plan to use a portable generator, place it outdoors at least 20 feet from any door, window, or vent. Carbon monoxide from generators is colorless and odorless, and it kills quickly in enclosed or semi-enclosed spaces. Running one in a garage, even with the door open, is not safe. Make sure you have working carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home before the cold season starts.
Stock Emergency Supplies
A winter power outage can last anywhere from a few hours to several days, and when pipes freeze, you lose your water supply too. The CDC recommends storing at least 1 gallon of water per person per day, with a minimum three-day supply on hand. A two-week supply is ideal if you have the storage space. Don’t forget to account for pets.
Beyond water, your cold-weather kit should include:
- Flashlights and extra batteries (avoid candles if possible due to fire risk)
- Non-perishable food that doesn’t require cooking or refrigeration
- A manual can opener
- Blankets or sleeping bags rated for cold temperatures
- A battery-powered or hand-crank radio for weather updates
- Medications for at least a week
- A fully charged portable phone charger
Dress in Three Layers, Not One Heavy Coat
A single thick jacket is far less effective than a layered system, because layers trap air between them and let you adjust as conditions change. The standard approach uses three layers, each with a specific job.
Your base layer sits against the skin and wicks moisture away. Wool, polyester, and nylon all work well here. Cotton is the one fabric to avoid entirely. It absorbs sweat and holds it against your body, which accelerates heat loss. A damp cotton shirt in freezing weather is genuinely dangerous.
The mid layer provides insulation. Polyester fleece is the most versatile option: it comes in different weights, dries quickly, and still insulates when damp. Down jackets offer the best warmth-to-weight ratio of any insulating material (rated by fill power from 450 to 900), but down loses its insulating ability when wet. If you expect rain or heavy snow, fleece is the safer choice.
Your outer layer blocks wind and precipitation. A waterproof or water-resistant shell keeps the inner layers dry, which is what actually keeps you warm. Some outer shells include built-in insulation, but a simple windproof and waterproof jacket over good mid and base layers works just as well in most conditions.
Don’t neglect extremities. Insulated gloves, a warm hat, and wool or synthetic socks matter more than most people realize. Your body prioritizes keeping your core warm, which means fingers, toes, ears, and nose lose heat first.
Know the Frostbite Timeline
Frostbite happens faster than most people expect. According to the National Weather Service, wind chill values near minus 25°F can cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 15 minutes. You don’t need to be in the Arctic for this. A temperature of 0°F with a 25 mph wind produces a wind chill well into that danger zone.
Early frostbite (sometimes called frostnip) starts with numbness and pale or waxy-looking skin on the nose, ears, cheeks, fingers, or toes. If you notice these signs, get indoors immediately. Warm the affected area gently with body heat or lukewarm water. Do not rub frostbitten skin or use hot water, as damaged tissue is easily injured further.
Prepare Your Vehicle
Cold weather strains every system in your car. The most critical fluid to check is your coolant. Most manufacturers recommend a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water, which protects against crystallization down to nearly minus 50°F. If you live somewhere that rarely drops below freezing, your coolant may be diluted to a 30/70 antifreeze-to-water ratio, which won’t hold up in a serious cold snap. You can test your coolant’s freeze point with an inexpensive antifreeze tester from any auto parts store.
Check your tire pressure, because tires lose about 1 PSI for every 10°F drop in temperature. A tire that was properly inflated in October could be 5 to 7 PSI low by January. Make sure your battery is in good condition, since cold temperatures reduce a battery’s cranking power significantly. If your battery is more than three years old, have it tested before a freeze.
Keep a winter emergency kit in the trunk: a blanket, a small shovel, an ice scraper, jumper cables, a bag of sand or kitty litter for traction, and a phone charger. If you get stranded, staying in your car with the engine running intermittently (crack a window slightly to avoid carbon monoxide buildup) is almost always safer than walking.
Protect Your Pets
Cold tolerance varies widely between animals. Thick-coated breeds like huskies handle cold far better than short-haired dogs or small breeds. But the American Veterinary Medical Association is clear that no pet should be left outside for long periods in below-freezing weather, regardless of breed. Factors like body fat, age, health, and activity level all affect how quickly an animal loses heat.
Bring pets indoors when temperatures drop below freezing. If your dog needs outdoor time, keep sessions short and watch for signs of discomfort like shivering, lifting paws off the ground, or reluctance to keep walking. Wipe paws after walks to remove road salt and de-icing chemicals, which can irritate skin and are toxic if licked. Make sure outdoor water bowls aren’t frozen solid, and consider a heated water dish if you have animals that spend time outside during the day.
Protect Your Plants and Landscaping
Perennials, young trees, and tender shrubs are all vulnerable to a hard freeze. Mulch is the simplest form of insulation for root systems. The Arbor Day Foundation recommends a layer 2 to 4 inches deep, spread about 3 feet in diameter around the base of trees and shrubs. Keep the mulch at least 3 inches away from the trunk itself to prevent moisture buildup and rot.
For container plants, move them indoors or into a garage. Plants in the ground that can’t be moved can be covered with frost cloth, old bedsheets, or burlap the night before the freeze. Remove coverings during the day if temperatures rise above freezing, since trapped heat and moisture can cause other problems. Water the soil around vulnerable plants before the freeze arrives. Moist soil holds heat better than dry soil and radiates warmth upward around the plant overnight.