While we don’t generally think of February as being an extremely cold month, most of the country has been dealing with sub-zero temperatures and record-breaking cold this year. You may be fighting off the weather with layers of clothing and quick runs between warm spaces, but are you protecting your home as well?

Freezing pipes are a big concern when the temperature drops, and can lead to burst pipes, flooding and expensive water damage to your property. Here are a few tips to keep you (and your home) safe for the rest of this season:

• Leave doors and cabinets open to keep warm air circulating in the house. This includes closet doors, cabinets and pantry doors.
• During extremely cold temperatures, let cold water drip from any faucet that has exposed pipes.
• A higher heating bill is a small price to pay when the alternative is considered, so try to keep daytime and nighttime temperatures inside the house constant. Many families like to lower it at night, but by doing so, you could be making it easier for the water to freeze.
• If there are any water supply lines in the garage, keep the garage doors closed as much as possible.
• If you’re escaping the weather and heading on a vacation, keep the heat on in your home and running at no lower than 55 degrees F.

Have any tips to share with readers? Let us know in the comments below!