Oh, the weather outside is frightful.

In fairness, it’s been a mild winter so far in terms of snowfall and inclement weather.

But it’s going to be bitter cold this weekend, as local weather reports indicate lows will drop into the teens.

There are precautions to take to help protect your home, vehicle and family.

Theresa K. Podguski, Director of Legislative Affairs of AAA’s East Central division, shared some quality tips and information to take into consideration.

“If you have a car that you’re not using, or is idle, it’s important to start it up or make sure that the battery is working properly,” Podguski said.

In fact, according to Podguski, AAA east central responded to over 66,000 battery calls last winter season. The east central division covers parts of five states.

“Check that your car has a spare tire, if it does, keep it properly inflated,” she added.

Podguski said as temperature drops, each tire will typically drop by one pound-per square inch, per every 10 degrees Fahrenheit.

“We also recommend carrying an emergency kit,” Podguski said. “It should include sand or cat litter, a small shovel, flashlight, ice scraper, snow brush, warm clothing and more.”

A burst pipe could be dangerous and an expensive cleanup for homeowners during the winter months.

“Make sure they don’t have water in them for one, if you don’t have heat on the house,” said Tamaqua native Tyler Milot, who is a specialist at Clark Service Group. “In a normal house, the only pipes that would freeze could be your water hose if you don’t drain it and close the bib off correctly.”

Milot added that pipes are never supposed to be on the outside walls.

“If they’re put on the outside walls, they freeze. If someone put them on the outside walls, that’s improper installation, and that’s why they’re freezing. Other than that, they should not freeze in the house.”

Is it fact or fiction that one should frequently run hot water through their pipes when it’s cold outside?

“I wouldn’t say it’s a myth,” said Milot. “If your pipes freeze, you’ll know it, because they’ll bust. When copper pipes freeze, they eventually crack. … If it’s a small start to a frozen issue, you could run hot water through it and maybe break it free.”