The weather
is getting colder and winter is on its way! Temperatures are expected to dip
below normal across much of the eastern half of the country from the Plains to
the East Coast and as far south as Texas and Florida. As this first taste of
winter moves in, here are ten steps you can take to stay safe during the big
chill and winter
1. Wear
layers of lightweight clothing to stay warm. Gloves and a hat will help prevent
losing your body heat.
2.
Don’t forget your pets - bring them indoors. If they can’t come inside, make
sure they have enough shelter to keep them warm and that they can get to
unfrozen water.
3.
Protect your pipes, If your exposed pipes are not protected with heat tracing -
run water, even at a trickle, to help prevent your pipes from freezing. Open
the kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around
the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals out
of the reach of children. Keep the garage doors closed if there are water lines
in the garage.
4. Keep
the thermostat at the same temperature day and night. Your heating bill may be
a little higher, but you could avoid a more costly repair job if your pipes
freeze and burst.
5. If
you are using a space heater, place it on a level, hard surface and keep
anything flammable at least three feet away – things such as paper, clothing,
bedding, curtains or rugs.
6. Turn
off space heaters and make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the
room or going to bed.
7.
Never use a stove or oven to heat your home.
8. If
you are using a fireplace, use a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch
sparks and rolling logs.
9. Use portable
generators correctly – never operate a generator inside the home, including in
the basement or garage.
10. Never
hook a generator up to the home’s wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect
the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator.
Quality Electric Service
609.861.1409
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