Forecasters are reporting that Tommorow morning, with a fresh snowpack, low temperatures are expected to drop to around 10 degrees. With a breeze, the wind chill (“feels like” temperature) can be around zero degrees. Tuesday’s afternoon’s highs will only reach the lower 20s or so. Partly sunny, dry, and breezy.
Here are a few tips to keep warm during this cold weather….
- Close fireplace dampers when not in use.
- Close and latch your windows.
- Move furniture and drapes away from heating registers, radiators, and baseboard element covers.
- Remove or cover window air conditioners to reduce drafts.
- Open your curtains and blinds that face the sun on sunny days to warm your home, and close them at night to keep the warm air inside. Use weather stripping or caulk to seal up cracks and prevent drafts in windows and doorframes.
- Beneath doors, install draft guards available at hardware stores.
- Keep your garage door closed if the garage is attached to the house.
- Since gas appliances tend to be used more in winter, it’s particularly important to monitor carbon monoxide levels in your home.
- Never use a gas range to heat a room or apartment. The appliance will deplete oxygen from the air, causing asphyxiation or deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Do not run any gasoline-powered generators in a garage or any other enclosed space.
- Snow and ice can damage gas meters and piping. Be careful when removing snow from around the gas meter; any damage to the gas meter could potentially create a leak hazard. Use a broom to clear snow and ice.
- Do not store propane tanks or any other highly flammable gas/liquid in your home, as they can become extremely hazardous in the event of a fire.
- Electric current passes easily through water, so stay away from downed power lines and electrical wires. Don’t drive over – and don’t stand near – downed power lines.
- Dress for the outdoors even if you don’t think you’ll be out much. Make sure you have a warm coat, hat and gloves that will keep you well-covered, so that you don’t leave large areas of skin exposed. Have a change of clothes ready in case what you’re wearing gets wet.
- Keep your children warm and indoors. Don’t let them wait outside for the school bus for a long period of time. If you have an infant at home, have plenty of gear on hand, such as extra diapers, formula and food.
- If you have pets or farm animals, make sure they have plenty of food and water, and are not overly exposed to extreme cold.
- Check your house. Take precautions to ensure that your water pipes don’t freeze. Know the temperature thresholds of your plants and crops. Have on hand at least one gallon of drinking water per person per day for at least three days. And be aware that high-protein foods can give you energy.
- Open cabinet doors to circulate warmer air around plumbing
- Let cold water drip from the faucet