HOUSTON – Insulating your pipes is always smart but in cold weather, it's vital.
Brian McMaster, with ARS Rescue Rooter, said the most important pipe in your house to cover is the riser. It costs just $2 to cover with insulation and takes five minutes to do the job.
"The main concern would be your riser," he said. "It's on the side of the house; it's where the water feeds into the home. You want to protect that from the elements."
Another key move that saves pipes is running a slow trickle of water through all your faucets.
Homeowner Joseph Beavers of Houston is already moving all his potted plants indoors, and he spent Thursday covering his delicate shrubs with blankets.
"We move them into the garage, especially the ones that are out on the porch exposed," said Beavers. "The ones we can't move we actually just cover."
And in Briargrove Park, Corbin Cooke prepared his pool and hot tub for frigid weather.
"What we're trying to do is to keep ice from forming on the pool," he said. "And the way we do that is by turning on all the pool functions -- the spa, the waterfall and the cleaner -- to make sure that water is flowing through the pipes.