MONTROSE -- With temperatures expected to drop below zero this weekend in some areas, you may want to take extra precaution to protect your car and home from the cold. Newswatch 16 spoke with some experts in Susquehanna County for tips on how to stay safe and warm.
Workers at Andre and Sons in Montrose are gearing up for a busy weekend. They expect the pipe section of their store to be crowded with customers.
"We already had problems with people coming in with broken pipes already," said David Spence, general manager of Andre and Sons.
Workers at Andre and Sons said to prevent your pipes from freezing, make sure they are properly insulated and run water through them to prevent issues.
"Stagnant water sitting in pipes for a long period of time in this cold of weather, in a matter of just an hour, can freeze a pipe," said Spence.
If you find your pipes are frozen, don't panic. You can use products like a freeze protector to thaw them. You can also call in professional help.
"It's important to get on it right away. Get the problem fixed because you want to get flowing water through those pipes again," said Spence.
Frozen pipes aren't the only problem you may run into when the temperatures start to drop. You also have to worry about your car.
Some mechanics we spoke to tell us the best thing you can do is start your car and let the heat run for a few minutes.
"Let it run and get it up to temperature. That's the best thing for it. It takes about 15-20 minutes and then that will recharge the whole system," said Joshua Strohl, assistant manager at Kost Tire and Auto Service Center.
Mechanics at the service center in Montrose say tire and battery issues are the most common problems.
"The cold does drain the battery a lot. Tire pressure will go down because of the cold weather so you can keep that checked. And the coolant is also very important," said Strohl.
Many shops, including Kost, will test your battery and other car parts for free to let you know if you need a new one to get through the rest of the winter.