Impact of cold weather on pipes, plants and pets

LUBBOCK, TX (KCBD) - Temperatures in Lubbock will be warming up after our recent freeze, but chances are the cold weather has had an impact on your pipes, plants and pets.

Christina Reid, a County Extension Agent for Texas A&M AgriLife, said it is unfortunate to have such erratic weather and temperatures in this region.

“Last Thursday we hit 70-something degrees and then Friday we fell into freezing,” explained Reid. “That’s really going to diminish any of the cold-heartiness our plants have.”

Reid said if you do nothing during the temperature swings, you run the risk of losing plants that are cold-hearty and do well in this region.

She added if you did not ‘water-in’ or cover up your plants, you may still be able to save them. “If you haven’t watered in your plants at this point it is probably too late, but it’s not too late to go ahead and throw a cotton sheet or blanket over something over it to try and save it at this point."

Kyle Montemayor, owner of WesTech Plumbing, said there are things you can do to save your pipes, too.

Montemayor said it’s typical for them to freeze or burst in cold weather. He said is a situation that could be expensive and invasive to fix if you did not prepare in advance. “The best thing you can do is either leave that tap open or leave a slow drip, or after it’s frozen leave it open so it has somewhere to release any of that pressure coming out of those water lines."

He said another possibility is to open up your drawers in the inside of your house to try to get some heat against the pipes. He said being that kitchen sinks are typically on the exterior of the house, that is where most of them are going to freeze first.

Lubbock Animal Services is also facing implications of the cold.

Deaon Bryant, a supervisor at Lubbock Animal Services, said they get more requests to check welfare when it is cold. She said people will see animals outside and call them.

If your pet was left outside in the cold for an extended amount of time, animal services suggests checking them for signs of hypothermia. “Can they focus, can they stand, can you warm them up, give them something, not hot, but something that’s a little bit warmer to warm them up from the inside out,” said Bryant. “If none of that is working, we suggest you take them to the vet.”

Copyright 2019 KCBD. All rights reserved.