Baby! It's COLD outside! Preventing freeze damage

Frozen plumbing!  How the heck do you prevent that?
Think of the THREE Ps.  Pets, Pipes, and Plants.
Frozen pipes ...

• Are really inconvenient
• Doing without water while you get the pipes repaired is not a lot of fun.
• Are really expensive
• If the leak goes undetected your water bill will go through the roof (More on roof repair elsewhere)
• The cost of making the repair is a lot, too.  Maybe $200 or $300 dollars.

If the temperature goes down to 30º, that's nothing to worry about.

BUT, if the temperature

1. goes into the 20s, and then 
2. stays cold the next day, and then 
3. goes into the 20s AGAIN,

That is the prescription for frozen plumbing.

What to do?

• Let your faucets drip.  Just a slow drip drip drip will probably do the trick.
• Drip the HOT TOO.  Hot freezes before Cold water pipe.  No way!  Yes, way!  
• ALSO leave the sink cabinets open so the heat will reach them.
• Never turn your heat off!  (Even if you are going out of town.  ESPECIALLY if you are going out of town)
• Turn it down to 55º.  No problem.  But don't turn it off.  Most leases and mortgages require the occupant to keep utilities on.  So to avoid liability, be sure to stay in compliance with that requirement.