With temperatures set to drop next week due to an arctic blast, several homeowners across the Rio Grande Valley are preparing for the cold. 

A hardware store owner in Weslaco said he’s seen more customers on Friday due to the cold weather in the forecast.

Ted’s Borderland Hardware Store Owner Vance Ellis said it's important to take the cold front seriously to avoid having issues in the long run. 

“Here in Texas, we don’t get a whole lot of freezes — so a lot of our homes and other buildings aren’t rated for cold weather,” Ellis said. “You never know how long it’s going to last. The weather reports change daily, so do everything you can to stay prepared and be ready for it.”

The most recommended precaution to take for the cold weather is to cover your pipes. Most of the customers in the store were buying pipe insulators and faucet covers.

If you can’t find a pipe insulator, Ellis recommends using pool noodles. 

Ellis also recommends buying tarp or blankets to cover outdoor plants.

“It helps keep the wind off your plants,” Ellis said. “If you can keep your plants out of the wind, it'll greatly reduce the chances of it freezing over.”

Ellis also recommends buying heated lamps to help pets stay warm.

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