Alabama is bracing for a round of frigid temperatures and, with the brutal cold, comes the chances of damage to pipes and your home.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, ‘concerns about freezing pipes increase when temperatures drop to 20 degrees Fahrenheit or below. This can especially be a concern in the South when it is less likely that homes are built with pipes located inside or in the warm areas of your home.

The pipes that freeze most frequently are those that are exposed to the severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines and water sprinkler lines, the Red Cross reported. Water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages or kitchen cabinets are also vulnerable. Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little to no insulation can also freeze easily.

There are steps you need to take now to prevent your pipes from freezing. Here are suggestions from Huntsville Utilities and the American Red Cross:

• Make sure sprinklers are turned off and drained
• Disconnect outside hoses
• Wrap exposed pipes in insulation
• Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs. Open the outside hose bibs to allow water to drain. Keep the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break.
• Open cabinet doors under sinks to let warmer room air in
• Let faucets drip to keep water moving through the pipes
• Consider installing specific products made to insulate water pipes like a “pipe sleeve” or installing UL-listed “heat tape,” “heat cable,” or similar materials on exposed water pipes. Newspaper can provide some degree of insulation and protection to exposed pipes – even ¼” of newspaper can provide significant protection in areas that usually do not have frequent or prolonged temperatures below freezing.

If your pipes do freeze:

• Immediately shut off water at the main valve
• Thaw pipes with a hair dryer or space heater
• Once thawed, slowly turn water back on and check for cracks