Texas freeze prep: 5 steps to protect your home, car

Customers of the major cellular and internet providers are reporting outages in the Austin area.

In "Game of Thrones," the phrase "winter is coming" represents a need to prepare for the brutal arrival of harsh weather and the chaos it brings. While the show may be fiction, but if the last few years are any evidence, Texas gets its fair share of winter weather.

Don’t get left out in the lurch when the weather turns tundra. From leaving your faucets to drip and warming up your car before hitting the road, here are five things to prepare for the impending Texas winter weather.

Put rock salt by your car tires and your door

Many Texas cities typically salt the roads before a major ice or snow event to make them easier to clear. But they won’t salt your driveway or your parking spot.

Placing rock salt before nightfall could save you lots of time shoveling your car out of the ice by preventing ice from forming. Similarly, placing it outside your door prevents your first step outside from being on complete ice.

Purchasing rock salt may be difficult due to snow events, but checking your local Walmart, Lowe’s, Home Depot and similar warehouse stores could yield positive results.

Drip your faucets

Pipes connecting to sinks, showers, pools and outdoor water hoses freeze due to long exposure to cold temperatures. Though your sink may not be running constantly, the dispensing pipe always has water ready to be used.

Because water expands when it freezes, all containers, even those held in metal, are at risk of cracking or bursting.

Preventing additional cold temperatures, or adding warmer temperatures, is the primary way to prevent these exposed pipes from freezing. You can do this by:

• Dripping your faucets
• Opening your cabinet doors to allow direct heat
• Setting the thermostat to the same temperature during the day and nighttime

Check your car

You may get the urge to rush inside after a drive home from the grocery store or work, and while that’s understandable, there may be some things you’re leaving in your car that don’t need to be left inside.

These can include:

• Any type of aerosol cans, like hair spray or dry shampoo
• Any type of food — the U.S. Department of Agriculture says cans can swell if the food inside expands when it’s frozen, so discard them for safety, even if they haven’t expanded.
• Any beverages — these can also expand, and carbonated drinks carry an especially high risk
• Eggs — but if they do freeze, you can thaw them in your fridge as long as they haven’t cracked
• Electronics
• Medications
• Musical instruments
• Eyeglasses
• Pets or people

Prepare emergency kits and safety plans

Being prepared can protect you from making snap decisions. Safety plans can include an emergency kit with water and battery chargers, nonperishable foods, first aid kits, medicine and more.

But if you don’t have an emergency kit, discuss with your household what to do in case of an emergency and communicate with someone outside of your household to ensure multiple sources in case something happens inside your home.

Think ahead for pets

If you have a small dog or are an anxious parent who is scared to let your pet run out for a bathroom break, consider buying puppy pads to prevent them from making a quick run outside — and sometimes protect you.

Puppy pads are naturally absorbent and shouldn’t leave a mess underneath them. They can typically be purchased at Walmart, Target and other pet supply stores.