Brrr, it's going to get cold Thursday night with an expected low of around 9 degrees. Not only is that cold for us, our pets and plants, it's also not good for our water pipes.

No one wants their water pipes to burst. Not only is it a pain to get fixed it's also a pain to clean up if they do burst. The Texarkana Water Utilities is offering some tips and ideas for protecting our pipes and insulating them to give them a chance to make it through this bitter cold snap we will be having. Flow Control Valve

Let Warm Air in Under Cabinets

• If your pipes run through cabinets or vanities, be sure to open the doors so warmer room temperatures can flow in. The thermostat should be set no lower than 55 degrees (F).

• Keep water moving through the pipes. Turn the faucet to a small trickle of water to run.

• Be sure to insulate outside faucets. You can get inexpensive foam faucet covers and they are easy to put on the faucets outside. Plus they are reusable so you can use them next year.

Shut off the water immediately, usually at the street if you can! • Do not try to thaw pipes without turning off the main shut-off valve. Thaw pipes with warm air, not water. • Try melting the frozen water in the pipe by using a hair dryer or space heater. Do not leave space heaters unattended and avoid the use of kerosene heaters or open flames. Be Careful When You Start to Turn The Water Back on

Automatic Drain Valve • When the frozen pipes are thawed, very slowly turn the water back on. Keep checking for any leaks or cracks.