Coldest nights of season upon us; Tips for protecting pipes and pets

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As our temperatures dip down to below freezing Wednesday night, there are a few things people can do in about two minutes to protect pipes and potential water damage in their home as a result of the freeze:

  • Open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to piping under sinks and vanities near exterior walls
  • Run a small trickle of water to vulnerable cold and hot faucets
  • Disconnect outside garden hoses

State Farm spokesperson Michal Brower said if these tips aren't followed, your pipes can suffer and it can eventually cost you a lot of money.

"That can be a very costly issue for homeowners, especially if they haven't prepared for it. If they do encounter freezing conditions and pipes are damaged, that can cause so much water damage in house," Brower said. "If you think about it, if you have water pipes that burst, you could have flooding issues all throughout your house."

State Farm representatives said they see a lot of claims in Florida where this is a problem because unlike up north, Floridians don't have to follow these rules as much because of the warmer climate.

Experts also say now is the time to protect your plants.

[WATCH: Prepping plants for the freeze]

Lows in the upper 20s for just a few hours -- and what's in the forecast for Thursday and Friday mornings -- could kill some plants.

Tropical plants, flowering plants and trees or shrubs that were not planted properly are the most at risk.

Homeowner Ron Somers knows this from experience.

"It was a $90 plant, and it hurts," said Somers. "That plant has three heads, and I lost one head because of the freeze and I'm trying to make sure it doesn't happen again." 

Somers, a transplant from Philadelphia, said he is making sure that his palm tree weathers this arctic blast.

His neighbors were doing the same. 

Employees at Earth Works, a nursery off Beach Boulevard, spent their Wednesday protecting their citrus trees and tropical plants by turning the ones still in pots on their sides or covering them up with a freeze cloth.

They said that some people's efforts to protect their plants actually kill them. 

"There a lot of plants sold in north, west Florida that are not zoned to live through a freeze," Earthworks' manager Matthew Barlow said.

Barlow said all is not lost if your plants aren't zoned for a freeze. If covered correctly with the right materials, those plants might survive.

"The best way is to just cover the plant entirely, all the way to the ground," Barlow said. "I'd use more bricks, just a few around the edges would be enough to protect the plant."

If you are planning on covering your plants with a frost cloth, Barlow said it's important to read the packaging to see its temperature rating.

"The frost cloth is maybe 4 to 8 degrees, depending on the brand you buy," Barlow said. 

He added that it won't damage plants at all to keep them covered for an extended period -- until the temperature rises. 

As the temperatures drop dramatically, many pet owners will bring their animals inside-- but there are some animals that don't have a lot of options to stay warm.

[WATCH: Protecting animals in the cold]

The Jacksonville Humane Society workers do everything they can to keep the dogs warm. They are raising money to get a better facility-- after a fire destroyed much of their facilities a few years ago.

Dianne Liles is the director of operations at The Humane Society and said they close the doors and give each dog a blanket but can't do anything more for the animals who keep as warm as they can until morning.

"We're very thankful to First Tennessee Bank, who donated $1,000 dollars for blankets," said Liles. "Anytime it goes below 45 degrees our dogs are in a non-climate controlled building so we close them inside with the guillotine doors to keep warmer. We run heaters during day, but at night have to turn off, but stays pretty warm inside."

Fortunately for The Humane Society-- this is the last winter these animals won't be indoors. Former Jaguars owners Wayne and Delores Weaver announced a matching campaign to help fund the $15 million capital campaign to build a better facility where the dogs can live.

"It'll be climate controlled, much cleaner. Less disease. Right now we're really working out of temporary buildings due to fire, we're in modular homes literally falling apart, our adopted animals deserve better," said Liles.

If you would like to help the Humane Society in its fundraising efforts, you can go to Jaxhumane.org to donate.


About the Authors:

Tarik anchors the 4, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. weekday newscasts and reports with the I-TEAM.

Scott is a multi-Emmy Award Winning Anchor and Reporter, who also hosts the “Going Ringside With The Local Station” Podcast. Scott has been a journalist for 25 years, covering stories including six presidential elections, multiple space shuttle launches and dozens of high-profile murder trials.