As homeowners and local governments brace for the cold, preparations were underway on Sunday to protect people, pets, plants and pipes from the cold temperatures.
The City of Dallas, in partnership with several nonprofits, opened a shelter able to house 900 people at Fair Park on Sunday.
"It is our belief that everyone deserves access to protection from the elements, regardless of their circumstances," said interim City Manager Kimberly Tolbert.
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
Agencies Austin Street Center and OurCalling, which both operate shelters and serve the homeless community, will run the temporary shelter located at 3701 Grand Avenue at Fair Park.
"Everyone should have the right to live until at least tomorrow, making sure they have a roof over their head and something to eat," said Daniel Roby, CEO of Austin Street Center.
He said they spent the day sending out texts, reaching out to other nonprofits, and making social media posts to let people know the center is open.
They've also had vans and buses shuttling people from different places across the city to Fair Park.
"The Office of Homeless Solutions has an outreach team, Austin Street has an outreach team and OurCalling and others have outreach teams as well and all those individuals are going to be on the streets going to encampments that they are familiar with, individuals that they know are there to see if they can compel them to come in," said Roby.
Security will be inside the 50,000-square-foot building, and guests will be asked to walk through a metal detector. They'll then receive a blanket and a bag of snacks.
Roby said from there, there's an intake process so they can follow up with people after the inclement weather to help them find housing.
He said the North Texas Behavioral Health Authority is providing mental health professionals. The shelter will also have paramedics from Dallas Fire-Rescue. Parkland is also providing resources.
There will also be a space for people's pets with the help of Dallas Animal Services.
If they reach capacity, they will open up other shelters as needed.
VOLUNTEERS AND DONATIONS NEEDED
During a news conference on Sunday, the city of Dallas said thanks to the community and also City of Dallas employees, they've collected thousands of winter caps, gloves and jackets, but are in need of more.
"Right behind me are 1,000 coats that were donated by the citizens of Dallas during the first citywide Office of Homeless Solutions Coat driver that was held in partnership with Dallas Public Library. We are very grateful to the citizens of Dallas for coming through and helping us meet our goal," said Gloria Sandoval, the program administrator for the Office of Homeless Solutions.
People who would like to donate their time to the shelter can do so through Austin Street Center through their website.
Those who want to donate jackets, bottled water, blankets, and travel-sized toiletries can drop them off at Austin Street Center at 1717 Jeffery Street in Dallas between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
"We ask that the people not bring those items here to the shelter because space is limited, we also ask people not to come directly to the shelter unless they are registered to volunteer," explained Sandoval.
HOMEOWNERS PREPARE
The cold temperatures are expected to arrive overnight Sunday into Monday morning.
For several days, homeowners have been preparing their property for the winter weather.
"From past experience and many mistakes, I've learned that the number one take care of my plants, because I'm a plant lover," said Deepak Naik, who helped his daughter and her family prep their home on Sunday.
He moved plants in the garage and placed covers over outdoor faucets.
"One winter I did not put covers on the taps and at least three faucets completely blew up," said Naik about about his past busted pipes.
PREPARING THE ROADWAYS
On Sunday, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Fort Worth District, said it was in the process of treating roadways.
"We're going out and pre-treating our roadways with brine, brine, it's a salt and water combination that we spray on the roadway, we want that to dry, the idea is when precipitation falls, it prevents the bonding of icing to the roadway," said Val Lopez, a public information officer for the Fort Worth District of TXDOT.
TxDOT for the Dallas District said it's still monitoring and has equipment ready.
COLD WEATHER PREPARATION
Winterizing Your Home
Before the cold, replace worn weatherstripping on doors and windows to ensure a good seal. This will make sure warm air stays inside and cold air stays outside. Most modern windows are sealed inside the frame, but older windows may be sealed with a glaze that can crack and need replacing. The glaze may need to be applied above a certain temperature and it'll need time to cure -- this maintenance is ideally done in the spring or fall. Lastly, check your gutters to ensure they are clear and allow water to flow freely to the downspout. Blocked gutters can lead to water entering the home. The Texas Department of Insurance also recommends trimming trees away from power lines, homes, and cars and checking the insulation level in attics.
Protecting Your Pipes
Most North Texans know to insulate their outdoor faucets, but if the cold snap is prolonged it could be a good idea to also leave inside faucets on external walls dripping overnight so that they don't freeze. The drip, drip, drip from running faucets, if heard, can be annoying, so put a sponge or towel in the sink to silently catch each drop. If you're leaving town for a few days, the Texas Department of Insurance recommends leaving cabinet doors open so that pipes on external walls are more exposed to heat. If you have pipes in an attic or crawlspace or any other exposed pipes outdoors, they'll need insulation, too. For external faucets, disconnect hoses and insulate the valves. Wrapping valves with towels is not the best long-term solution. Most, if not all, North Texas hardware stores sell inexpensive exterior faucet covers made of foam that easily attach to the faucet bib in just a few seconds and do a great job protecting the pipe from freezing. If you suspect a pipe has frozen, keep the faucet open so that water can flow when it melts. Additionally, make sure you know where your main water valve is located (and how to turn it off) in the event a pipe bursts.
Bring in Your Pets
Even if you have a pet or animal that normally lives or sleeps outdoors, they could be susceptible to cold, hypothermia, and pneumonia. The SPCA of Texas says if you're cold outside, odds are your pet is cold too. Bring pets inside and make sure other outdoor animals have appropriate shelter, dry and well insulated, to protect them from frigid temperatures and possible death.
Protecting Your Plants
Perennial potted plants should be brought indoors. Plants that cannot be brought inside will need to be covered. Delicate plants can be covered with sheets, blankets, or landscaping frost blankets, which can trap heat. During times of extreme cold, multiple frost blankets may be used. For plants left outside a day or two before a freeze hits, the Dallas Arboretum recommends watering the soil only by hand, keeping the foliage dry to insulate the plant's roots. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension has more here on how to protect plants from frosts and freezes. AgriLife also has tips on how to plant for the winter.
Turn Off Your Sprinkler System
You want to turn off your irrigation system for several reasons. One is that you don't want it running on its normal schedule, potentially throwing water on streets where it can freeze and be dangerous for passing cars. Second, you don't want to risk any broken pipes or valves that may come with a system that has not been winterized. To winterize your system, the city of Fort Worth recommends that timers and back-flow devices both be turned off, even if you have freeze or rain sensors installed and that the main line be drained. Any pipes that are above the ground should also be insulated.
HVAC
Many air filters should be changed or cleaned every three months or every season. But that's not the only winterizing needed for your HVAC system. You should check your ductwork regularly for holes (whether from vibration or rodents) to ensure the airflow is uninterrupted. If part of your HVAC is in the attic, it may also be home to rats, mice, and squirrels who find the unit's warmth an ideal spot to build a nest.
Swimming Pools
Even if you have a freeze protector among your pool equipment, you'll want to look at the pump daily to ensure it's moving water through your pipes. Those pipes, too, can burst if they freeze.
Batteries
Having fresh batteries for flashlights during a power outage is always a good idea. If you didn't replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors during daylight saving time -- now is a good time to make the switch. It's also a good idea to ensure your phone is charged so that you'll have access to timely information in the event of a power loss. Having a backup battery or power source to recharge your phone is also a good idea.
