With the cold snap set to last for a while yet, we all need to take precautions to stay safe both on the roads and in our home.

Irish Country Living got these great nuggets of advice from MissQuote.ie and Insuremyhome.ie.

Protect your home during sub-zero temperatures

Even if you are staying cosy inside, there are a few things you need to do to keep your house safe.

Make sure that water pipes and water tanks in the attic are insulated with good-quality lagging and turn on taps regularly to make sure there’s a periodic flow of water through them.

Check the exterior walls for holes. Even small holes where cable wires or phone lines enter your home can be an entry point for freezing air.

Purchase a tube of foam insulation and close them up.

Use weather stripping to remedy any cracks around your doors.

If you have outdoor plumbing fixtures, you should also tend to these to ensure they don’t freeze.

Drain outdoor taps and shut off water to these if possible. Disconnect garden hoses.

If you can, it might be worthwhile insulating the outside tap pipes with towels.

If you have to go out for an extended period of time, put your heating on a timer if possible – or perhaps ask a friend or neighbour to turn the heating on for an hour.

Stay safe on the roads

Check your tyres – tread depth and air are important factors to consider if driving on frosty or icy roads.

Also, make sure you have ample fuel in your tank – you do not want the levels to fall too low in case the fuel line freezes.

Before you head out on any journey, even a short one, always check the road conditions and if you do decide to venture out, do not put cold water or boiling water on your windscreen when trying to de-ice your car.

Avoid any unnecessary journeys in poor conditions, plan your route and use the correct lights for visibility.

Also give vehicles more space than usual and slow down. Extra surface water, ice, snow – there are many factors that mean that you should drive more slowly and with extra care and caution.

Finally, pull in at a safe location if the conditions could affect your driving.