San Antonio – A few days are left to prepare before San Antonio sees its first extended cold winter temperatures.
A cold front is expected to blow in Sunday night, bringing temperatures into the mid-30s on Monday morning and down to light-freezing levels on Tuesday. Cold weather is expected to stick around for much of the week.
READ MORE: Warm weekend, blustery Monday, and damp, cold weather late next week
Here are some tips to get ready, including from the City of San Antonio website:
FURNACE
- Check your furnace is in working order. If you have a gas model, make sure there are no leaks.
- Replace the air filter.
- Put a carbon monoxide detector in your furnace closet to ensure it’s running safely.
- Get a professional to fix any issues.
SPACE HEATERS
- Use a model with fall protection, which will automatically shut it off if it tips over.
- Plug the heater’s cord directly into the wall, not a surge protector.
- Keep the heater at least 3 feet away from anything flammable, such as blankets, curtains, or bedding.
- Don’t put it under your desk.
- When you leave the room, turn the heater off and unplug it.
- Do not leave the heater on or plugged in while you’re sleeping.
PIPES
- Next week is unlikely to result in a hard freeze, but you may want to protect your pipes and spigots anyway.
- Wrap exterior pipes or anywhere else that air temperature might drop to freezing.
- Use protective covers on outdoor spigots, or let the water run.
- Some older homes may not be well insulated. So, you can also choose to let inside sinks run if they’re along one of the outside walls.
PETS
- Bring pets inside to keep them warm. If that’s not possible, provide them with shelter from the wind.
PLANTS
- Bring in potted plants.
For more cold weather safety tips, click here.