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If the coming winter storm causes power outages, home generators can keep families safe and warm until power is restored. Test your generator now to be sure it works. When you operate it, keep it at least 15 feet away from windows and doors. (And, yes, buy some extra gasoline.)

If the coming winter storm causes power outages, you’ll need extra gasoline to operate your generator if you have one. Read your machine’s operating manual to make sure you’re getting the correct kind of gas.

When a storm is forecast, many residents try to buy generators. In this New York Menard’s store, a customer checks out generators before a hurricane.

Once again, Mother Nature is about to test our electrical grid, our patience and our pipes.

A cold front will pass through the Houston area starting later Wednesday and is likely to linger for a few days before warming up. Before it departs, though, temperatures could dip into the 20s, and we’re likely to get some rain, sleet or snow.

Houston’s temperatures are expected to only drop to the low 30s — only slightly above freezing, but as you move north, the forecast gets uglier. And a northerly breeze will bring a wind chill factor that makes it feel several degrees colder.

In Spring, The Woodlands, Kingwood and Conroe, temperatures are expected to dip into the high 20s. If you live in those areas, you might want to do a little grocery shopping and plan to stay home if sleet and snow make the roads dangerous.

You’ll also want to prepare your home — surely you haven’t forgotten the lessons of Winter Storm Uri that gripped much of the South in February 2021. That’s when many lost power for days from the electric power grid failure and rolling blackouts. Pipes froze and sometimes burst, leaving many major cleanup and repairs.

Here are some tips to prepare right now:

Food and water: For starters, it can’t hurt to buy some bottled water. If your pipes freeze and burst or the power grid fails and you find yourself needing to boil water, it would be nice to have some on hand for drinking. If your refrigerator and pantry are empty, head to the supermarket now for food to last at least a few days.

Pipes: To prepare pipes for freezing temperatures, open your kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors so warmer air from your home will reach the walls and water pipes in them. That might be enough to keep pipes from freezing and rupturing, said Joe Bany, director of field operations at John Moore Services.

Bany, said that he spent the 2021 winter storm getting up every few hours to run faucets and flush toilets to keep water moving. Even then, one pipe froze, though it didn’t burst.

It may sound like a lot of work, but it’s nothing compared to the work you have to do when a pipe freezes and bursts and causes damage in your home.

He also urges homeowners to let a faucet drip into a bathtub. Pick the tub located farthest from the street so it will pull water through your system of pipes. Dripping kitchen or bathroom sinks can help, too, he said.

The best measure to prevent frozen pipes is to have adequate insulation, Bany said. For example, an attic should have 13 to 15 inches of insulation. Not only does it protect your pipes in a freeze, but it will help with your heating and cooling bills. Just for context, Bany said that 75 to 80 percent of homes are underinsulated. So unless you’ve recently built your home or added new insulation, we’re talking about you.

You’ll also want to address outdoor faucets or hose bibs — the faucet you use to connect garden hoses and sprinkler systems. Remove any hoses or other attachments and use a styrofoam insulated cup to cover it up.

Turn off water: In the event it gets below 32 degrees, stays cold and your pipes freeze, they can rupture when they thaw, causing water damage inside your home.

If you need to leave your home or you suspect your pipes have frozen, turn off your water at the pipe where it enters your home or at valves where water pipes connect to city water. This is often in a box in your yard not far from the curb. You will also want to turn every faucet on until no water is coming out. That will mean there’s little to no water left in your pipes and they shouldn’t freeze.

They can be difficult to turn; an easy solution is to use a water shut-off key, which should cost less than $10 and can be found at most hardware stores. (They’re also called “curb keys” or “curb box keys.”)

Water heater: If you lose power and decide to leave your home, set your water heater on “vacation mode.”

Generator: When bad weather strikes, there’s always the possibility of power loss. A generator can fill the gap to keep your electricity on. If you have one, it’s best to test it now — when you don’t need it — to know that it will serve you well later.

Check its operating manual to know what type of electrical cord and fuel it uses, and have some extra gasoline on hand. Add a little fuel and let it run dry, say experts at the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute.

Safety tip: Since a generator’s exhaust fumes are harmful, always keep a running generator at least 15 to 20 feet from your home. They’re also frequently stolen, so store them out of sight; chain them to something as an added precaution.

Pets: When the weather turns bad, don’t forget about your pets. If they’re outdoors, bring them in or make sure they have a warm place to shelter from the winter storm. They may always wear a coat, but they’re not used to colder weather any more than we are.

Information: Watch for changes in the weather forecast through the National Weather Service at www.weather.gov/houston.

Diane Cowen has worked at the Houston Chronicle since 2000 and currently its architecture and home design writer. Prior to working for the Chronicle, she worked at the South Bend (Ind.) Tribune and at the Shelbyville (Ind.) News. She is a graduate of Purdue University and is the author of a cookbook, "Sunday Dinners: Food, Family and Faith from our Favorite Pastors."

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