Keep a candle ready.

As the weather has changed you should be checking some of the things you need to have on hand in the case of emergency.

Candles are a wonderful thing this time of year. They can bring some cheer to the coming long nights. They are also a good source of heat and light if the power goes out. As strange as it may seem a candle can take the chill out of a room. Just one will not heat the room to a toasty warm, but it can keep the pipes from freezing. Be sure there is some ventilation. A candle can use all the oxygen in a sealed room  and could cause carbon monoxide poisoning or death. Most homes have plenty of air leaks (drafts) to prevent this. A sealed safe room is more of a concern.

If the power is out go to the room below where your pipes come into your home or the crawl space. Put a candle in that place.  Be sure it is away from anything that could catch on fire. You may want to put it on a cookie sheet so you have a surface that is not going to burn if the candle is tipped over. Never leave a candle burning unattended. You do not need to put it next to the pipes, just in the room on the side the pipes come in on is fine. This can help to prevent the pipes from getting too cold. Then turn the water in one of the taps on to a slow dribble. Running water is unlikely to freeze. It is extremely unlikely your pipes will freeze if there is a little heat and the water is running.