I didn’t move to Seabrook because I like cooler temperatures. I’ll take 95deg over 45deg any day. If wishes came true it would never get below 30deg around here, but if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. Sometimes we have to prepare for the horror of a hard freeze. Eeewww.

From the perspective of a remodeler who has fixed up so many houses that froze, here are the biggest things to worry about.

1. The most important thing is to know where your water shutoff is! No matter what you do to prepare, Old Man Winter gets a vote and sometimes he wins. The first thing to do when you find or suspect a leak is cut off the water. Then call a good plumber, if you don’t know one call me and I’ll give you a number. Waiting can add another zero or two on the cost of repairs.

2. Check insulation on any water lines outside of your home. The minimum requirement is that black foam insulation held in place by duct tape or better. A layer on top of that is better, even if its just an old towel. The idea is to block the wind more than anything else.

3. Have you looked closely at the copper bowl shaped thingie on top of the water supply line to your sprinkler system? On the bottom of that there are usually two little screws. Open them to drain water out of the copper so it doesn’t crack in the ice ($350 or more to replace). If it is designed so that you can, cut off all the water to the sprinkler and let it drain. If it’s not clear how to shut it off, insulate!

4. Leaks in cabinets are most expensive, and cabinets against the exterior walls are most at risk. While I can’t prove it, seems like a good idea to open those cabinet doors, maybe even leave a really slow drip on the faucet. I mean really slow. That may help keep just a bit of water moving through all the pipes in the house, and moving water is less likely to freeze. This all maybe be an old wive’s tale, but I always listen to old wives. Especially mine.

5. Don’t ever crack a joke about your spouse’s age like I just did. Cold can have more than one meaning.

6. Stay warm, Seabrook! Spring is right around the corner!