Freezing Weather Preparedness

As we get into the Winter months, here are some tip to be prepared for freezing weather.

* Keep extra batteries for flashlights and radios and maintain an ample supply of food which requires no cooking or refrigeration in the event of power failures.

* Be sure to have an adequate supply of warm clothing and bedding for each member of your family.

* Use emergency cooking and heating facilities very carefully and only in well-ventilated areas.

* In the event of a furnace failure, do the following to maintain minimum heat levels:

(1) Use an alternate heat source

(2) Close off rooms which are not absolutely needed

(3) Hang blankets over windows at night (let the sun shine in during the day).

(4) Stuff cracks around doors with rugs, newspapers, towels, or other such materials.

IN MILDER CLIMATES:

Keep pipes from freezing. Wrap the pipes in insulation made especially for water pipes, or in layers of old newspaper, lapping the ends and securing them around the pipes. Cover the newspapers with plastic to keep out moisture.

When it is extremely cold and there is real danger of freezing (temperatures below 32 degrees F day and night for more than 24 hours), let the faucet that is furthest from the water inlet to the house drip a little. Although this wastes water, it may prevent freezing damage.

Know where the valve for shutting off the water coming into the house or apartment is located. You may as a last resort have to shut off this main valve and drain all the pipes to keep them from freezing and bursting.

If you have a sink against an exterior wall, leave the cabinet doors open beneath the sink to let in warm air during times of extreme cold.

Also, shut off the water inlet valve to your sprinkler system and drain the system, if possible, to prevent broken pipes in the system.

Do not scalp lawns before winter. Leaving the grass a little long causes the roots to be longer. When roots are longer there is less chance of permanent damage or winter kill.

Original at: http://www.newemergencypreparedness.com:80/freezing-weather-preparedness/