A winter storm is predicted to bring significant accumulation of snow and dangerously cold temperatures. Take time now to prepare your home for these conditions and potential outages.
Keeping your home warm
- Taking time to seal up your home will help you keep the cold air out and the warm air in.
- Sealing windows and doors will help avoid drafts. You may use weather stripping or blankets and towels to block out the cold air.
- Do not close off rooms to your home, as it will not allow for proper airflow.
Using space heaters
Space heaters are often used to provide additional heat smaller areas of homes. However, they can increase your heating bill and create a fire hazard. Here are some tips to use them wisely and safely:
- Use space heaters sparingly and not for extended periods of time as they consume a great deal of electricity.
- Do not place space heaters near furniture, fabric or paper.
- Do not leave heaters unattended — when you leave the house or when sleeping.
- Always unplug a space heater when it is not in use.
Using generators
If you have a generator or plan to purchase one, call OMU to ensure it is installed properly. If you do use your generator, please also notify OMU as it could present a safety issue for our crews when restoring power.
Protecting water lines
Prolonged below freezing temperatures could threaten your water pipes and create expensive damage to your home.
- Disconnecting your outdoor hoses and placing protective coverings over outdoor spigots will help avoid frozen and bursting pipes.
- Allowing a slow cold drip in faucets will keep water moving through lines and could help avoid freezing.
- Opening cabinet doors beneath sinks along outside walls will allow heat to circulate near plumbing.
- Insulating crawl spaces and exposed pipes can further protect water lines.
Storms often carry the risk of power outages. For some tips on how to prepare for a loss of power, visit Restoring Electric.
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