WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — It’s an essential we need every day: water.

But with freezes expected the first week of November and colder days ahead, are you prepared to protect your water pipes?

“It could be 70, 80 degrees one day. Next day, it’s freezing, way below freezing,” President of Brian Plumbing Brian Walser said.

Frozen busted pipes leaving a mess in your house is a fear many live with as we head into the winter days, and it could cost you a hefty price depending on the damage.

“So far, it has not been really cold enough to damage anything yet. But, it’ll hit us overnight.” Walser said. “The first thing is to cover your front or back faucets, any outside faucet coming out of your home. Make sure you have a Styrofoam cover over it.”

Pipes exposed in an attic or in the yard can be covered by heat tape or a faucet sock.

One of the big reminders Walser wants people to remember is removing the water hose from the faucet.

“Now is the time to do it. Main thing is getting your water hose disconnected from your outside faucet. Because once that water hose freezes, that ice follows that faucet till it breaks the faucet,” Walser said.

Walser said if you do find your house without water, the best thing to do is shut off your water immediately.

“If it did freeze it to possibly break that pipe, and then once it falls out during the day, it’ll start leaking, and we’ve seen catastrophic damages from pipes in the attic, pipes in the walls that freeze. And then they open up when it gets warm and floods the house,” Walser said.

Preparing Texomans for colder weather and avoiding costly repairs.

Click here for more information on Brian’s Plumbing.