Anyone who plans to ring in the new year outdoors should plan on wearing a parka as temperatures are expected to dip into the teens Sunday night with single-digit wind chill values.

Things won’t get much better on New Year’s Day as Monday’s high won’t hit the 30-degree mark, according to the latest data from the National Weather Service in Huntsville. Bitter cold temperatures can pose a serious threat to health and safety, from hypothermia to fire hazards.

“We are talking wind chill temperatures in the single digits,” said Jeffrey Birdwell, director of the Madison County Emergency Management Agency. “If you don’t have to be out, stay inside and stay warm. If you do venture out, limit your exposure and wear protective clothing. Dress in layers of loose, warm clothing, and be weather-wise before you set out on the road.”

Residents are urged to bring pets indoors if at all possible. The elderly and shut-ins should also be checked on to ensure they have a safe and adequate source of heat.

Extreme lows may also lead to busted water pipes and a happy start to the new year for local plumbers. Athens Water Department Manager Frank Eskridge offered a number of tips to homeowners to avoid having a disastrous start to 2018.

Let it drip

Water is less likely to freeze if it is moving. To that end, it can be useful to keep a very slow drip going overnight when water usage doesn’t usually happen.

A good rule of thumb for an effective slow drip would be to count “one Mississippi, two Mississippi, etc.” with the drop happening on the number. Any constant flow is too much, even if it is a small stream of water, so be sure to make it a slow drip.

“Steady flows at each customer in the water distribution system simultaneously and extending for hours could actually cause water supply problems for everyone,” Eskridge said. “Also, if you let a steady flow run for hours, even a slow one, you will be very disappointed at the size of your next water bill.”

To make this most effective, try to figure out which faucets are at the furthest point in your plumbing, so that the slow drip can cause motion through your entire plumbing system.

Get low

For homes with plumbing in the crawl space beneath the floor, make sure the vents to the crawl space are closed when nighttime temperatures are below freezing.

“If you don’t have vents, just covering the crawl space openings with cardboard can help stop the free flow of cold air below your house and help keep your pipes functional,” he said.

Open the doors

Inside your home, it is a good idea to open the cabinet doors below sinks to allow the warm air in your home to circulate around the plumbing that supplies the hot and cold water piping. This is particularly important at sinks where the plumbing is in the exterior wall of the home and therefore closer to the freezing air outside.

Check outside

Don’t forget about spigots on the exterior of your house. Be sure to disconnect any hoses that may be hooked up, and drain the water from them before storing.

Building supply and hardware stores will often have spigot covers that can be used to protect a hose bibb from freezing temperatures.

Conserve heat

Because heaters will be in high gear this week, the Tennessee Valley Authority has issued tips to save customers money:

• Let there be light: Keep curtains open on the south side of the house and closed on the north during the day to trap the warming sunlight;

• Increase your home’s IQ: Install an Energy Star-certified programmable thermostat;

• Steady as you go: Set your thermostat to 68 degrees. Turn it down even more when no one is home for several days;

• Bundle up: Insulate heating and cooling ducts, and repair any air leaks. Add insulation to your attic, crawlspaces and any accessible exterior walls;

• Keep it clean: Change air filters monthly. Dirty filters force your heating system to work harder;

• Seal it up: Caulk and weather-strip around windows and doors and install insulating gaskets to exterior light switches and electrical outlets to stop air leaks;

• Family meals: Take advantage of the heat generated by cooking;

• Close the damper: Don’t send warm air up the chimney. Make sure the fireplace damper is closed when not in use;

• Decorate: Use area rugs if you have hardwood or tile floors to keep your feet warm; and

• Create breathing room: Keep weeds and debris away from the outdoor unit of your heating system.