Winter Storm Prep: Essential Checklist to Protect Your Home and Stay Safe

Preparing for Winter Storms

• 💡 Major winter storms can cause damage comparable to hurricanes, bringing freezing temperatures, potential power outages, and icy roads.
• 🎯 It's crucial to prepare homes to prevent issues like burst pipes before the cold weather hits.

Essential Supplies for Hunkering Down

• 🛒 When shopping for essentials, focus on items that don't require refrigeration and have a long shelf life, such as canned goods and pantry staples.
• 🔦 Essential non-food items to have on hand include batteries, flashlights, candles, and lighters for potential power outages.
• ⚠️ There's no need for panic buying, as grocery stores are receiving regular supply shipments.

Staying Warm and Safe

• 🧥 Dress in layers of clothing to help retain body heat, including gloves, hats, and face coverings for extreme cold.
• ⚠️ Be aware of hypothermia symptoms in adults (shivering, confusion, slurred speech) and babies (bright red skin, cold to touch, low energy), seeking medical attention if necessary.
• 🔥 When using heating sources like space heaters, ensure they are at least 3 feet from flammable materials and plugged directly into the wall.
• 🚫 Never use stoves or ovens to heat your home due to carbon monoxide risks.
• ⚠️ Generators and grills should only be used outdoors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
• 🚗 Avoid staying in a running car inside a garage for warmth, as this also poses a carbon monoxide risk.

Protecting Your Home's Plumbing

• 💧 Disconnect and roll up outdoor hoses, ensuring no water remains inside, and cover outdoor faucets.
• ⚙️ For sprinkler systems, shut off the main valve and bleed the system to remove water, as this is a common point of failure during freezes.
• 🏠 Consider shutting off the main water supply to your home if pipes are in unheated areas like attics or garages to prevent flooding from frozen or burst pipes.

Power Outage Preparedness

• 🔌 While power grid issues are a concern, local outages might occur if ice weighs down power lines connecting to homes.
• 🚨 Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to ensure they are functioning correctly before extreme weather arrives.
• ⚠️ If experiencing symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning (headache, nausea, vomiting), exit the house immediately and call 911.