DENVER Frigid days are ahead for the Denver metro as dangerous wind chills will bring temperatures below freezing for the next several days come late Friday afternoon.And while someday we may all have a laugh about how we managed to survive the flash freeze of 2025, Im pretty sure none of us are laughing right now at the prospect of frozen pipes in our homes.So, in case you have not yet prepped your pipes, heres what you need to know to keep from your pipes from freezing (and what to do if theyre already frozen). Most of this information comes from Denver Water.Before the deep freeze startsYou know where you usually put your keys, but do you know the exact location of your homes water shut-off valve? Neither do I!If a pipe breaks, you, your spouse or your children will need to shut off the water to your house to prevent any potential damage from turning into a catastrophe. In most single-family homes, that shut-off valve is usually located on a wall facing the street in the basement or crawl space. Make sure everyone in your home knows where that is.Pipes are most at risk in basements, attics, and garages because those places are usually less heated. But even pipes in your cabinets and exterior walls can freeze in cold temperatures.Which brings me to my next point: Insulate your water pipes! Especially those along exterior walls and in unheated basements or attics, as these are more vulnerable to burst once temps plunge below zero.During the deep freeze It may seem counter intuitive to let water drip from a faucet during sub-zero weather, but this is exactly what you should do as this will help prevent the pipes from freezing. If youre into the geeky science of why, here it is: A very slow drip will keep water molecules moving, reducing the chance that pipes will freeze.Dont want that water to go to waste? Place a bucket underneath that faucet so water that accumulates can be used for something else!Something that will also help protect your pipes is to open cabinet doors below your sink to allow warmer air to warm them.Make sure your thermostat or furnace is at least 65 degrees when leaving your house or your business and change out the filter for your furnace. And dont forget about the water hose outside your house one of the biggest mistakes people make is forgetting to unhook water hoses from their outside spigots.If you have an attached garage, for the love of all that is (un)holy, do not open the doors. Allowing all that cold air in could wreak havoc on plumbing that could be routed in this part of your home.What to do if your pipes are already frozen If, for some strange reason, you forgot to take any of the steps above and now find yourself with frozen pipes, do not fret not everything is lost.First, you should call a plumber theyll know what to do.But lets say you want to go the Tim Taylor route and thaw the pipes yourself. What do you do? First, youll need to shut off your homes water valve (and youll want to do this as soon as possible to prevent any breaks).Thawing a water pipe is like enjoying a nice dish of pozole slower is better. "Pipes that are warmed too fast may break. A hair dryer pointed at the frozen area of the pipe is appropriate. A blow torch is not," as Denver Water officials said in a news release Tuesday.Please do not blow torch your home.Editors note: Most of this information came from Denver Water. Click here for more tips and additional resources as we endure our nearly 5-day long sub-zero journey. MORE ABOUT DENVER WEATHER: Hourly forecast | Radars | Traffic | Weather Page | 24/7 Weather Stream Denver7 Weather