Home plumbing expert explains how to protect your pipes from freezing, cracking amid frigid temps

"Anytime it's below 20 degrees it starts to become a danger," said Joe Mrochko, Vice President of Inside Operations at Schuler Service.

In the next few days, we're looking at some of those below 20-degree temperatures, which means prepping those pipes is in order.

"The biggest concern is having the water freeze in your pipes, which can cause a lot of damage and a lot of headaches," Mrochko said. "Maintaining your water system ahead of time is always the best thing."

He says older homes, and homes with poor insulation, tend to be the ones that experience freezing pipes. However, that doesn't mean everyone else shouldn't do what they can to avoid issues.

"If you had problems in the past and experienced freezing in the past there are some easy things you can do," Mrochko said.

You can start by turning your thermostat up. You should also open the cabinet doors under your sink. This helps bring the room's temperature to the pipe area, in turn keeping them warm.

Mrochko also suggests letting the showerhead drip to keep liquid flowing through those pipes, helping them to resist any freezing.

And what happens if it's too late and your pipes do freeze, or even burst?

"The main water shutoff needs to be shut off. There's a main area in every home that controls water coming in," Mrochko said.