HOUSTON (KIAH) — Memories from the February 2021 deep freeze still send shivers down the spines of many Texans.

Thousands of people suffered damage to their homes from pipes that froze and burst thanks to a prolonged period of sub-freezing temperatures and the rolling blackouts that accompanied them.

The cold weather forecast for Thursday and Friday is not as extreme as that event, and state leaders say there won’t be power problems this time.

Still, lots of people in the Houston-area and beyond are taking steps to make sure their homes are ready.

“Prepare for the worst,” John Moore Services Director of Operations Joe Bany said. “If you can, keep the water moving (and) keep the house heated.”

His work crews are helping as many people as possible do just that, but Bany says they can’t get to everyone.

It’s why he urges homeowners to take it upon themselves to make preparations at their homes.

That includes buying a material specifically designed for insulating pipes and wrapping outdoor pipes with it instead of using other materials that people commonly use.

“The towel and the newspaper will collect the moisture and help it freeze even faster from the outside and the inside,” Bany said.

Despite the water it wastes, he also recommends dripping indoor faucets in hopes of making it harder for pipes to freeze.

“Not a popular one with conservationists, but we really kind of need to keep that water moving in the house,” Bany said.

Pipes are one of the Four P’s you’re urged to protect during freezing weather along with people, pets, and plants.

People and pets should stay out of the cold weather as much as possible.

If you have plants that are sensitive to the cold, you should move them inside or wrap them with insulating materials.

Several businesses and agencies have other tips as frigid temperatures near southeast Texas.