CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Another cold snap is headed our way and it's sure to leave us dealing with bitterly cold temperatures for days, especially at night.
Although there will be less snow and ice for a majority of the area, there are still things you should do to keep damage at a minimum in and outside of your home.
WCNC Charlotte called the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety in Chester County to ask about the risks and what you can do to prepare.
"Winter weather doesn't strike the fear like severe thunderstorms might, but these things still can cause damage," Ian Giammanco, PhD, IBHS's senior director of product design and lead meteorologist, said
Outside your home, Giammanco said you can start by trimming trees that hang over your house.
"Ice can weigh down tree limbs, especially if you think about a March ice storm where we might have leaves on the trees," he explained. "[That's] going to add that weight to things and those limbs come down and they can damage your roof."
With some areas getting snow and ice, you'll also want to be aware of what you're walking or driving under or what you're parking your car under.
Ice can fall in slabs when melting and damage your car or hurt someone below.
Giammanco also said it's wise to clear your gutters. Doing so will keep water from backing up inside of them and freezing.
If that happens, Giammanco said water can seep into your roof and cause a mess in attic spaces or walls.
Inside your home, make sure your pipes are insulated, he added.
You should become concerned if you lose power and the indoor temperature starts to flirt with 32 degrees.
"Drip those faucets if the power happens to go out and know where that what shut off valve is if something bad does happen," Giammanco said.
In case your pipes do burst, he added, you should take an inventory of your personal belongings before any type of storm moves through. You can take pictures of your belongings on your phone, so you will have documentation in case disaster strikes.
"It makes the claims process if you have to file one later, just go a little bit smoother," he said.
For more steps you can take to make sure you're prepared for winter storms, you can visit this website. By taking those steps now, you may just be able to prevent a headache later.
Contact Hunter Sáenz at hsaenz@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.